Despite Scandal, UBS Finds Takers in Congress

December 9, 2008— -- Hundreds of U.S. lawmakers have taken campaign contributions from a fund tied to a Swiss bank under criminal investigation, and critics say that's not okay by them.

Federal prosecutors say that for years the bank, UBS, helped super-wealthy Americans cheat the IRS by hiding billions of dollars outside the government's reach. The bank boasted about its influence on Capitol Hill to prospective clients, according to prosecutors' filings.

Despite the scandal, lawmakers -- including powerful committee chairmen -- and party committees have taken over $1 million from a political fund set up by the bank, over the past two years.

UBS said recently an internal review found evidence of "a limited number of cases" of tax fraud. It says it has ended the practices which have gotten it into trouble. Bank spokesman Mark Arenas said the bank "categorically rejects any suggestion that UBS PAC contributions are designed to influence the outcome of any official investigations."

The fund, UBS Americas Fund for Better Government, gave generously to senior lawmakers and committees which oversee the finance industry. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, D-Conn. took $10,000 from the fund in February, according to Federal Election Committee records. Dodd did not respond to requests for comment.

Dodd's counterpart in the House, Financial Services Committee chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass, also accepted $10,000 from the fund. A spokesman for Frank said Monday that in light of the indictment of a UBS executive last month, he would return the money.

The fund last year gave $5,000 to Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., the ranking Republican on Frank's committee. His office did not respond to requests for comment.

Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn. was the lead Republican on a Senate investigative panel that probed the bank's alleged misdeeds earlier this year. Coleman took $10,000 from the UBS fund, including $4,000 after his committee announced its probe in February. The panel's announcement did not identify UBS as a subject of its inquiry. Coleman did not respond to calls seeking comment.