Democrats fail to mend split over rolling back Dodd-Frank financial regulations

WASHINGTON - In the span of two hours on Capitol Hill Tuesday, the sharp split between liberal and moderate Senate Democrats on a major bank deregulation bill became crystal clear.

First, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., stood before TV cameras to complain that the legislation, which is focused on helping small and midsized banks, will put "American consumers at greater risk" because it also loosens rules on larger financial institutions.

"Telling a bank that's a quarter of a trillion dollars (in assets) that it can be regulated like some tiny, little community bank makes no sense at all," she said, vowing to fight to amend the bill or halt its passage.

A short time later, four moderate