Fannie And Freddie Do TheDNC

BOSTON - (07/28/04) – Outside of Kerry and Edwards,among the most ubiquitous names at the Democratic NationalConvention this week are those of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Thenames of each can be seen among the sponsors of some of the mostpopular events, as well as the convention itself, for which each isreported to have donated as much as $350,000 to the host committee.Both companies, which are planning similar sponsorship events fornext month’s Republican National Convention in New York, arestepping up their public relations and lobbying efforts whiletrying to fend off major legislation that would tighten regulatoryoversight over the two secondary mortgage market giants. “Asa GSE and as an organization, that is key to the housing industry,we are making sure, with our partners, that housing issues areacknowledged as important to the American people and we thought itwas important to come to the convention and have a presence beforethe politicians and the policymakers,” Dwight Robinson,senior vice president, for Fannie Mae, told The Credit UnionJournal, during a Tuesday reception sponsored by Fannie, Freddieand several housing trade groups.