Last weekend we read or saw on TV the great success the auto bailout has been. What many may not have heard is that there is an ongoing investigation into how dealerships were selected to be closed as part of this plan.
When Chrysler and GM were taken over by the government, Obama appointed Steve Rattner to be the car czar to oversee the takeover. A total of 789 dealerships were closed. Not totally on recommendations from Chrysler or GM executives as earlier reported, but by the federal government. At the time we all wondered what criteria was being used to select those who would have to close. Now we know. Of the 789 dealerships that were closed, 788 had donated exclusively to Republican political causes. That seems to be a bit odd don’t you think?
Car czar Steve Rattner, the guy who put the closing list together, happens to be married to Maureen White, who is the former national finance chairman of the Democratic national committee. In this capacity she had access to campaign donations records for everyone, Republicans and Democrats alike. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Obama said he had no desire to run the auto industry. It does however appear that he has the power to destroy private businesses and in the case of auto dealers, eliminating upwards of 100,000 jobs just because they are not politically on his side. Mr. Rattner did not act alone and more than likely received his marching orders from others. I wonder who.
It should be noted that Mr. Rattner resigned after hearing that an investigation into the dealer closings was being made. It should also be noted that he is currently under investigation for a multi-million dollar pay-to-play investment bank scandal in New York.
Don Williamson
Arlington
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