'He's An Evil Person. It's Morally Disgraceful'

Congressman Peter King tells it like it is, while Chuckie Schumer, finally commenting after four days, offers some lame, mealy-mouthed drivel about what he's doing with the money he received from the disgraced Bernard Madoff.

He's the Grinch who stole . . . everything.

Accused mega-swindler Bernard Madoff yesterday skulked out of his Upper East Side penthouse and went into hiding as scores more charities, banks and individual investors revealed that they face financial ruin from his alleged $50 billion Ponzi scheme.

"He's an evil person. It's morally disgraceful," said Rep. Peter King (R-LI), who yesterday called for a congressional probe of the scam.

King said he recently attended several Christmas parties where guests included people who lost tens of millions of dollars in investments entrusted to Madoff, 70, who was busted by federal authorities last week.

One party guest pointed around a room, saying, "That guy lost $10 million, and that guy lost so many millions," King recalled.

Madoff seemed maniacal about keeping his scam going to the end.

As recently as Thanksgiving, he was pushing pals to invest more money with him, telling them he could work wonders in the volatile market, a source told The Post.

Madoff's alleged fraud has especially hurt charities linked to his own Jewish faith.

Schumer, meanwhile, who's been noticeably absent on this, the biggest swindle in world history perhaps, finally had something to say.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) Monday led a long list of officeholders and groups expected to give up more than $430,000 in political contributions from Bernie Madoff and his family.

"My money, I'm returning," Schumer said. The $6,000 Madoff gave him over the years would be sent to charity, he said.

The $100,000 Madoff donated to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, run by Schumer until last month, should also be returned, but "that is their decision," Schumer said.

Weak, Chuckie. Very, very weak. You ran the DSCC, you took the money from Madoff. Step up and demand they return it. Good grief, imagine the howls from this guy if Republicans were swimming in this ill-gotten money like the Democrats are?

Madoff contributed $164,650 to various campaigns and political-action committees - including $101,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee - over the past decade, records show.

That largesse helped Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), who chaired the DSCC, in his successful quest to win Democratic control of the US Senate.

Madoff also kicked in $6,300 to Schumer's congressional campaign committees.

Schumer yesterday said he is giving the $6,300 Madoff donation to three charities associated with police and fire unions.

Madoff also welcomed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) to the state by donating $1,000 to her initial Senate run in 2000.

Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel has received two $1,000 contributions from Madoff.

As for King's call for a Congressional probe: Good luck with that. If it were strictly Republicans who received money from this bum they'd be pounding the gavel already. Since the GOP received a pittance compared with the vast sums lavished on Democrats, you can forget Congress taking any action.

Meanwhile, get ready for a government bailout of the swindled investors. Chuck Schumer will probably be first in line. Maybe it's just me, but bailing out people because of gullibility and stupidity isn't the government's responsibility.