Warren: I’m ‘Troubled’ by Obama Getting $400K from Wall Street

During an interview on SiriusXM 102 Radio Andy’s program “Alter Family Politics” on Thursday, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said she was “troubled” by President Obama accepting a $400,000 for an upcoming speech to Wall Street firm Cantor Fitzgerald.

Warren said, “I was troubled by that. One of the things I talk about in the book is the influence of money. I describe it as a snake that slithers through Washington, and that it shows up in so many different ways here in Washington. People understand that — the money that goes into campaign contributions. And when I say ‘understand,’ I don’t mean they think it’s okay, but at least people see it. The money that goes into hiring lobbyists.”

She continued, “But it’s also the money that goes into bought-and-paid-for experts, the money that goes into think tanks that have theses shadowy funders, and the think tanks always come up with the things the shadowy funders want them to come up with. Even advertising how — I talk about the studies that show that when an industry takes out ads, it changes the news coverage. I even talk about the United States Supreme Court and how much more pro-corporate it is becoming because of money that’s being spent in Washington. So, I — the influence of dollars on this place is what scares me. I think it ultimately threatens democracy.”

(h/t RCP Video)

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett