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Goldman Sachs in $nub of Dems

WASHINGTON — Goldman Sachs executives are pulling campaign cash away from congressional Democrats in the wake of their crackdown on Wall Street, and are now hedging their bets in the upcoming election, according to a Post analysis.

During the last election cycle, 64 percent of Goldman’s PAC contributions went to Democrats.

Now, the cash split is an even 50-50, according to campaign data.

“They’re reading the writing on the wall,” said one House Democratic aide.

Goldman, which just settled a lawsuit with the feds for $550 million, is also snubbing a key Democratic Party election arm.

The firm gave $30,000 each to the top Republican campaign committees in Congress, and the same amount to Senate Democrats — but gave House Democrats only half as much.

The $15,000 contribution represented just half the amount the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee got in 2008.

The House crafted a more stringent bill to regulate Wall Street, prompting some execs to warn lawmakers that they would withhold cash from the party’s campaign committee and give only to favored Democrats.

Instead of House Democrats, Goldman gave $15,000 to the centrist New Democratic Coalition PAC, which works to elect moderate Democrats.

It also gave $10,000 to Rep. Michael McMahon (D-SI), who pushed to change parts of the regulation bill that Wall Street argued could hurt the financial industry, plus $10,000 to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and another $25,000 to other state lawmakers.

But it left out Reps. Joe Crowley (D-Queens), who also worked to modify the regulatory bill, and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan), who got a combined $16,000 in 2008.

A company spokeswoman wouldn’t comment on the PAC strategy.

Goldman’s sharp turn before an election is unusual among corporate PACs, which often play both sides based on who is in charge.

It bet heavily on Republicans in the 2006, 2004, and 2002 cycles, when Republicans were in power, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Goldman also stepped up its contributions this year, donating $330,000 to federal candidates and committees so far, compared to $217,000 by this point in 2008.

The firm’s PAC is sitting on a $961,000 war chest, allowing it to play in any congressional race it wants.

In all, the top 10 financial-industry PACs have slathered more than $1.5 million on key lawmaker’ campaigns this year, courting some and punishing others.

geoff.earle@nypost.com