The Enablers

Rahm Emanuel is catching heat for his payday at Freddie Mac, one of the originators of the meltdown. It's a reminder that the pols condemning the bonus payouts were themselves handsomely rewarded while failing to blow the whistle on the money men.

Susan Walsh/AP Photo

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-dodd_hcuu22 — "This is one of the great success stories of all time. And we don't want to lose sight of that and [what] has been pointed out by all of our witnesses here." Feb. 2004
Susan Walsh/AP Photo

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-kanjorski_mlrsty — AP Photo

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-reed_f5rnkl — "I think a lot of people are being opportunistic…throwing out the baby with the bathwater. " June 2006
AP Photo

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-johnson_lpucqs — AP Photo

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-pelosi_t0az4v — Evan Vucci/AP Photo

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-carper_tg43wc — "What is the wrong that we're trying to right here? What is the potential harm that we're trying to avert? " Feb. 2004
Caleb Jones/AP Photo

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-frank_fxcujz — "I want to roll the dice a little bit more in this situation towards subsidized housing…." "I think we see entities that are fundamentally sound financially and withstand some of the disaster scenarios." Sept. 2003
AP Photo

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-bayh_ayzgdz — Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-stabenow_o9yzdq — Scott J. Ferrell/Getty Images

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-schumer_rzbn30 — "I'll lay my marker down right now, Mr. Chairman. I think Fannie and Freddie need some changes but I don't think they need dramatic restructuring in terms of their mission, in terms of their role in the secondary mortgage market." April 2005
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-waters_zdrcre — "Secretary Martinez, if it ain't broke, why do you want to fix it?" "Mr. Chairman, we do not have a crisis at Freddie Mac and in particular at Fannie Mae under the outstanding leadership of Mr. Frank Raines." Sept. 2003
AP Photo

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-meeks_qlbe2b — "I'm just pissed off at Ofheo because if it wasn't for you [the regulators at the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight] I don't think that we would be here in the first place." Sept. 2003
AP Photo

galleries/2008/10/06/the-enablers/enablers-clay_pvrutr — James A. Finley/AP Photo

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