
Article snippet: Ties to Wall Street and corporate interests are raising concerns about a number of high-profile Democratic candidates considering White House bids as the party moves to reduce the influence of big money in campaigns. Sens. MORE (D-N.Y.) are likely to face questions about money they’ve received from financial institutions in Wall Street, according to strategists. Meanwhile, former Vice President MORE’s OneWest Bank when she was attorney general of California. “Here would be my warning to any candidate who's thinking about running in this environment today: This is not 2008. This is not 2012,” said Chris Kofinis, a Democratic strategist. “Because everybody is hyper aware of everything, all of a sudden what you do and who you take money from, becomes a reflection of your values much more so than ever before,” he added. Gillibrand and Booker have cultivated strong ties to the U.S. financial sector, which is heavily concentrated in New York, and are among the Senate’s top recipients of donations from the industry, though they have often voted for legislation against the interests of the financial sector. Gillibrand reeled in $3.2 million from the financial industry during her 2012 Senate campaign, second only to former Massachusetts GOP Sen. Scott Brown’s $5.7 million, according to the Center for Responsible Politics. That included about $90,000 each from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley as well as $63,500 from Blackstone. Gillibrand was less reliant on the industry ... Link to the full article to read more