So a tax cheat was no problem for Treasury Secretary once,

so why would Dodd be? I mean, he only
* In 2003, Dodd -- already a high-ranking member of the Banking Committee -- scored two cut-rate refinancing deals on personal mortgages worth nearly $800,000 from subprime-mortgage lending giant Countrywide Financial.

The deals arose from Dodd's being designated as a "Friend of Angelo" -- Countrywide co-founder Angelo Mozilo.

* In another questionable real-estate transaction, Dodd in 1994 acquired a one-third share of an Irish vacation home. The other two-thirds were purchased by William Kessinger, business associate of one Edward Downe, who pleaded guilty to insider trading.

Seven years later, Dodd successfully lobbied then-President Bill Clinton, on his way out of the White House, to pardon Downe. Shortly thereafter, Dodd took full ownership of the Irish property -- at a mere fraction of the appraised value.

* Last February, an amendment to the stimulus package from now-Chairman Dodd guaranteed that executives from firms receiving government bailouts -- including insurance giant AIG -- remained eligible for bonuses.
along with we have no idea what all else. I realize for the Obama Administration this is all no big deal, as corrupt officials fit right in, but for the rest of us?

For the rest of us, tar and feathers and rails come to mind.