Cranston and Lincoln S&L; Scandal

Over the past six months the Lincoln Savings affair has provided a window for the taxpayer to see how Washington works--and I don’t like what I see.

We had a regulator totally beholden to the industry he regulated, who misled Congress about the severity of the problem and overruled his administrators at the request of Keating, resulting in a financial hemorrhage.

We had senators who intervened in the conference committee on the savings and loan bailout bill.

And then there are the actions of Cranston who accepted more than $900,000 for campaign contributions and questionable registration activities from Keating--while actively pressuring regulators on Lincoln Savings’ behalf.

Even though Cranston received all this money from Keating, Cranston says he did nothing for him he wouldn’t do for any constituent. If you believe that, you believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.

Cranston says he has broken no law and has done nothing wrong--you might ask the retired people who invested their life savings in now worthless Lincoln uninsured bonds about that--and if he had it to do again he would do the same thing.

With such lack of judgment, he doesn’t deserve to be our senator and should resign. He is just like a whore who sells his services to the highest bidder.

BRADFORD HALL

San Marino