Shades of the Keating Five

[edward]

McCain was drawn into a land speculator's deals.

When Mr. Diamond wanted to buy land at the base, Fort Ord, Mr. McCain assigned an aide who set up a meeting at the Pentagon and later stepped in again to help speed up the sale, according to people involved and a deposition Mr. Diamond gave for a related lawsuit. When he appealed to a nearby city for the right to develop other property at the former base, Mr. Diamond submitted Mr. McCain’s endorsement as “a close personal friend.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/22/us/politics/22diamond.html?em&ex=1209009600&en=da8131838b9ef481&ei=5087%0A

In addition to property at Fort Ord there were several local Arizona land swaps that McCain facilitated. Diamond traded small parcels of land not capable of development because they were too steep, for thousands of acres of federal land in the path of development + cash.

[russ_watters]

My first thought, of course, was: they're trying again? But then after checking the article, I find they only mention the Keating 5 once, in passing, and don't actually connect it to the issue that the article is about. So - could you explain what you mean by "shades of the Keating Five"?

[edward]

My first thought, of course, was: they're trying again? But then after checking the article, I find they only mention the Keating 5 once, in passing, and don't actually connect it to the issue that the article is about. So - could you explain what you mean by "shades of the Keating Five"?

That would be John McCain once again doing favors for someone wealthy.:rolleyes: Even people in AZ didn't know that McCain had been involved in Diamond's California ventures.

Only a few people knew that McCain had enabled Diamond's Arizona land swaps.

[russ_watters]

That would be John McCain once again doing favors for someone wealthy.:rolleyes: Yes, he's a politician. What does that have to do with the Keating five? Are you saying that the Keating five was just your typical every-day political favor?

[edward]

Yes, he's a politician. What does that have to do with the Keating five? Are you saying that the Keating five was just your typical every-day political favor?

Keating definitely tried to make it a typical political favor. It wasn't, it was a scandal.

McCain was one of the Keating five. I guess it was a bit before your time, but it is still a hot issue in Arizona. Plus it is again the same AZ senator involed in a California issue.

The developer now involved with McCain goes from one land scam to the next always being able to buy his way through the bureaucracy.

From the link:

Mr. Diamond is close to most of Arizona’s Congressional delegation and is candid about his expectations as a fund-raiser. “I want my money back, for Christ’s sake. Do you know how many cocktail parties I have to go to?”

He definitely got his money back, 100,000 times over. McCain sponsored two bills that only benifited Daimond.