Sen. Blanche Lincoln has offered some lame excuses for her work for private lenders in opposing legislation that would end their government-protected profiteeering on the student loan program. It’s jobs. Or it’s transparency. Or something. But she’s a no on reconciliation as a result.
The real answer is money. The bankers’ lobbyist, Kelly Bingel (left) is a sorority sister of and former chief of staff for Lincoln, who is the godmother of Bingel’s child. From an article on this and other Lincoln ties to the money changers:
If Lincoln was in the slightest bit transparent about why she has chosen to oppose the reconciliation bill, she would disclose her recent contacts with Kelly Bingel and other industry lobbyists, as well as her recent campaign receipts from the industry. How illuminating it would be for the Senator to embrace transparency and say why she is taking such an unprincipled, impractical stand on behalf of moneyed interests, and against the interests of students.