Today, Attorney General Dick Blumenthal announced he suing Countrywide Financial for predatory lending practices, weeks after similar action in Florida and Illinois, but welcomed nonetheless.

Blumenthal’s actions, while late, pale in comparison to the lack of disclosure by U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, who promised the people of Connecticut he would disclose the details of his four loans with Countrywide dating back to 2003.

Dodd said he would lay out the paperwork once Congressional action on a $300 billion mortgage assistance plan and a bigger bailout to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were signed, sealed and delivered. Well, all of that is in the book, and so far, no word from the Dodd camp.

We are now in Day 55 of the “Dodd Watch” since details of these mortgage deals emerged in Conde Nast’s portfolio.com.

Congress has gone on its five-week vacation to campaign. For the House Democrats, it is a time to explain why they won’t stay in session and work out an energy bill.

For Chris Dodd, it is finding the files, receipts and other documents to show why and how he received loans under the prevailing loan rate in 2003 for loans totalling $750,000. By his own admission, Dodd obtained these generous loans from a VIP program authorized by Angelo Mozilo, CEO of Countrywide, who will be at the center of Blumenthal’s lawsuit. Dodd initially denied he got favorite treatment from Countrywide, until he read the fine print and realized he was given the red carpet.

Most people keep their mortgage documents in a safe place, a filing cabinent, in a folder. It shouldn’t take a day or two to find them and offer them up to the media. If there is nothing there, as Dodd suggests, then why not put your cards on the table?

Maybe they will turn up when Blumenthal issues subpoenas on how Countrywide managed to turn the entire mortgage industry inside out but took care of a few well-connected Washington insider like Chris Dodd.