Charles Keating was a shrewd observer of people, especially people who could help him in building and protecting his financial empire. Keating's political beliefs were not a consideration when seeking political influence. The first thing to understand about the Keating Five is that they did not have any particular ideological beliefs. On one occasion, Keating used the influence he had as a heavy contributor to arrange a meeting with five senators, four of whom were Democrats and one a Republican. Keating, a conservative Republican, had little in common with the four Democrats in the group.
Charles Keating was a shrewd observer of people, especially people who could help him in building and protecting his financial empire. Keating's political beliefs were not a consideration when seeking political influence. This became evident during the course of Keating's battles against officials who were attempting to put restrictions on the savings and loan industry. On one occasion, Keating used the influence he had as a heavy contributor to arrange a meeting with five senators, four of whom were Democrats and one a Republican. Keating, a conservative Republican, had little in common with the four Democrats in the group.