Senate Dems hold on to Madoff money

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By Amanda Carpenter

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which received $100,000 in campaign contributions from disgraced financier Bernard Madoff, has yet to rid itself of the tainted funds that other Washington politicos have rushed to shed since the collapse of Mr. Madoff's $64 billion Ponzi scheme in December.

Mr. Madoff made four separate $25,000 donations to the DSCC since 2005. The most recent donation was made in September, according to campaign finance records. The committee received the lion's share of Madoff's political contributions during that period.

"We have not returned the money yet," DSCC communications director Eric Schultz told The Washington Times.

Other lawmakers quickly purged Madoff cash from their campaign accounts after the news broke in December that Madoff bilked his investors.

"Madoff stole from people," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of the Center for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington. "That money is tainted because it´s stolen and no one should be keeping it."

An analysis conducted by the Center for Responsive Politics found that Madoff and his wife, Ruth, gave the bulk of their campaign contributions to Democrats. The couple donated $238,200 to federal candidates, parties and committees since 1991, and Democrats received 88 percent of those donations.

Madoff gave $11,400 to nine Republicans in the same time period. None of them is in office now. Former Rep. Jack Fields of Texas received the most - $5,000. Other recipients included former Sen. Alfonse D´Amato of New York, former Rep. Vito Fossella of New York and former Rep. Michael Oxley of Ohio.

Numerous Democrats have rushed to give away Madoff-linked campaign cash received since 1991.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, donated the $29,300 he received from Madoff and his extended family to the victims of Madoff´s fraud. Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon Democrat, donated $13,000 contributed by Madoff and his wife to an Oregon food bank in December, said Wyden spokeswoman Jennifer Hoelzer.

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman Christopher J. Dodd, Connecticut Democrat, received $1,500 from the Madoffs and promptly donated the money to the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. Mr. Dodd´s press secretary, Bryan DeAngelis, said the senator "suffered considerable losses in Madoff´s scheme."