In what is merely the latest humiliating blow to Obama, moments ago, in a 42 to 56 vote, Senate Republicans blocked President Barack Obama's nominee to oversee the FHFA - the administration in charge of mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which in turn are so instrumental to restoring housing as the primary source of "High Quality Collateral" (and its securitization), which in turn is critical to allow the Fed to eventually step away from QE. The defeat on a procedural vote for the nominee, Democratic Representative Mel Watt of North Carolina, came despite an aggressive White House push in the past few days to round up support. The vote against limiting debate on Watt's nomination was 56-42, four short of the needed 60 votes to move ahead in the Senate. Whether this means that Moody's ADP's Mark Zandi is back on the table as a potential nominee is unclear as of this writing.
As we pointed out back in May, all those mostly financial lobby supporters of Mr. Watt are encouraged to see their money back.
From: In Whose Pocket Is Mel Watt? [7] [7]
Following the earlier reported [8]devastating news for Mark Zandi fans (all one of them, including Mr. Zandi himself) that the Moody's economist/ADP seasonal adjuster, will not be the next head of the GSEs, and instead that privilege will go to North Carolina Democrat Mel Watt [9], we decided to take a quick look in whose pocket the career Congressman (elected into congress in 1992) truly lies. We are delighted to announce that with Mr. Watt's lobbying dollars coming almost exclusively from Wall Street, Lawyers/Law Firms, and Labor Unions, the $7+ trillion in US mortgages, and sole source of mortgage creation in the US, is in "very good", if just a little conflicted and quite socialist, hands. Mortgage forgiveness-demanding, crony capitalist comrades of the world, unite! (while charging $1000/hour)
Mel Watt's biggest career contributors by industry:
Mel Watt's biggest career contributors by company:
Source: OpenSecrets [10]