Hank Paulson In Constant Contact With Goldman During Crisis

08/09/2009 • The Business Insider

Bottom line: he was in touch with Goldman a lot. During the week of the A.I.G. bailout alone, Mr. Paulson and Mr. Blankfein spoke two dozen times, the calendars show, far more frequently than Mr. Paulson did with other Wall Street executives. On Sept. 17, the day Mr. Paulson secured his waivers, he and Mr. Blankfein spoke five times. Two of the calls occurred before Mr. Paulson’s waivers were granted. By waviers, they're referring to ethics waivers which had barred Paulson from having any significant relationship in dealing with Goldmn Sachs issues, as Secretary of the Treasury. Clearly, this was no time to be bound by old formalities and ethics limitations that they thought would never become an issue.