Keating Five

IN 1990, THE U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics investigated charges that Senators Alan Cranston (D-CA), Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ), John Glenn (D-OH), John McCain (R-AZ), and Donald Riegle (D-MI) had improperly interfered with government investigators on behalf of Charles Keating who had become embroiled in savings and loan (S&L) banking scandals. Contributions from Keating to the five Senators had ranged from a few thousand dollars to more than $1 million. The five Senators strenuously objected to being lumped together and asked that each case be judged on its own merits. Nevertheless, it was almost a given that the press would view the five Senators as the “Keating Five” rather than as individuals. Objections were also made when the Senate investigating committee under the chairmanship of ...