In the wake of the news that Countrywide had provided VIP mortgages to at least two Senators, there has been growing interest the mortgages of other elected officials. Politico is conducting a survey of all Senators. So far, 77 have responded. Some don't think it's necessary:

Many senators who did not provide mortgage information contend that the details are private. Elly Pickett, a spokeswoman for Sen. Michael B. Enzi (R-Wyo.), wrote in an e-mail to Politico: “Sen. Enzi’s mortgage isn’t with Countrywide, and since that company is at the center of this issue, I fail to see how having a loan with another company is at all relevant.”

Similarly, a spokesman for Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) e-mailed that his boss did not need to disclose details: “The senator was a private citizen when he and his wife obtained their mortgage through a local bank, which was not Countrywide,” wrote Thune spokesman Kyle Downey.

Why not disclose is a relevant question in the wake of the news about Countrywide's program. Melanie Sloan explains:

Disclosing all mortgage details “makes them more inclined to be sure they’re not getting any special deals, because it’s being disclosed,” said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “Why not just disclose [mortgages] and get rid of a potential issue?”