In March he faced a firestorm over his support for a measure that would serve to exempt American International Group, a big campaign contributor of his, from Congressional efforts to limit some executive compensation packages to Wall Street firms that received federal bailout money. After initially denying that he was behind the measure, he acknowledged that his staff introduced it at the urging of the Obama administration.
That came only months after he was accused of receiving preferential treatment from Countrywide Financial Corporation, which assigned him to a V.I.P. program in 2003 when he refinanced mortgages on his homes in Connecticut and Washington. Mr. Dodd said that he did not believe that he received preferential rates, however.
A week ago, Mr. Dodd went to Martha’s Vineyard for a retreat organized by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, where 30 senators mingled with party donors, including lobbyists.
Over his nearly 30 years in Congress Mr. Dodd has raised more than $550,000 from drug company representatives, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
In addition, Mr. Dodd’s wife, Jackie Clegg, was paid nearly $80,000 as a member of the board of Cardiome Pharma Corporation last year, according to the documents most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ms. Clegg also holds more than 200,000 shares in Javelin Pharmaceuticals, where she is also a board member.
Colleen Flanagan, a Dodd spokeswoman, said Ms. Clegg consulted an ethics lawyer to see if the board positions posed a conflict of interest given her husband’s Senate role. “Her career is entirely her own,” she added. |
