Sanders Hints at Putting 'Pressure' on Clinton Over Banking Issues

ByMARYALICE PARKS ABCNews logo
Thursday, September 29, 2016

In an interview with ABC News today, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders did not explicitly say that he had confidence in Hillary Clinton -- should she win the White House -- to put in place tougher regulations on large banks or, specifically, clean up Wells Fargo after their recent scandal.

Sanders, who during the primary often accused Clinton of coziness with Wall Street, instead told ABC News' David Wright that he would rely on and expect demonstrations and persistence from progressives to keep pressure on Clinton to "do the right thing."

"People should not be shocked about what Wells Fargo did. Every major bank in this country has paid billions of dollars in fines and settlements for illegal behavior," Sanders said in a backstage interview with Wright at a joint event with Clinton in New Hampshire.

"What we need is millions of people standing up ... demanding the re-establishment of the Glass-Steagall legislation and breaking up the large financial institutions," Sanders said, referring to the now-repealed 1933 law that limited the links between commercial banking and investment banking. "I think with that pressure, I think Secretary Clinton is prepared to do the right thing."

One of Sanders' closest teammates on Capitol Hill, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, made headlines earlier this month when she grilled the Wells Fargo CEO during a Senate hearing and called for his resignation and a criminal investigation into the scandal. Warren has already reportedly indicated to the Clinton campaign that Clinton could face a fight within her own party, should she, if elected, nominate anyone with close banking ties to a cabinet post.

Sanders and Warren have both repeatedly called for supporters to stay engaged in politics beyond the presidential election and Sanders added during his interview today, "Clinton can't do it alone. I can't do it alone. People have got to be involved."

At the New Hampshire event, Sanders stood side by side with Clinton, urging those battleground state voters to back his former primary rival.

"All of you know that this is a very tight election. And in fact, New Hampshire could decide the outcome. So, I am asking you here, today, not only to vote for Secretary Clinton, but to work hard to get your uncles and your aunts, to get your friends to vote," he said.

The event was focused on the joint proposal the two of them crafted as the primary concluded to make public college and universities tuition free for a large swath of American students.

"Make no mistake about it, this is a revolutionary proposal for the future of our country," Sanders added.

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