May 18, 2013
Documents obtained by The Associated Press show that a Democratic committee chairman overrode his own subpoena three years ago in an investigation of former subprime mortgage lender Countrywide to exclude records showing that he, other House members and aides got discounted loans from the company.
New York Rep. Edolphus Towns sought records of discounted loans but excluded loans to House members from the request.
In 2003, Towns had two loans processed by Countrywide's VIP section, which was giving discounts to favored borrowers.
The effort at secrecy was reversed when Towns' Republican successor at the House Oversight Committee issued a second subpoena. It yielded Countrywide records identifying lawmakers and aides whose loans went through the VIP unit. Towns was on the list.
Towns has insisted he did not receive preferential treatment.
