Bernie Sanders’ opposition to financial deregulations under former President Bill Clinton is unrelated to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential bid.

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WASHINGTON (Sputnik)US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders’ opposition to financial deregulations under former President Bill Clinton is unrelated to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential bid, Sanders told the press on Wednesday.

“I am honestly not here to talk about Hillary Clinton,” Sanders said when asked if it was fair to associate Hillary Clinton with the Wall Street deregulations carried out under former President Bill Clinton.

Sanders was a major opponent of the 1999 Clinton-era repeal of legislation that prohibited risky Wall Street investment banks from engaging in commercial banking.

“I was one of the leading opponents of the efforts of [Federal Reserve Chairman] Alan Greenspan, [Treasury Secretary] Robert Rubin and [Treasury Secretary] Lawrence Summers when they all told us how wonderful it would be if we deregulated Wall Street,” Sanders stated.

On Wednesday, Sanders introduced legislation that would limit the size of major Wall Street financial institutions.

In his announcement to join the 2016 presidential race last week, Sanders asserted that he opposed turning presidential elections “into soap operas,” and has not made significant public remarks on his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

Bernie Sanders is the longest serving Independent Senator in the US Congress.