INSIGHT: TOP JUSTICE OFFICIALS CONNECTED TO MORTGAGE BANKS
By Scot J. Paltrow
Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:31am EST
(Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Lanny Breuer, head of the Justice Department's criminal division, were partners for years at a Washington law firm that represented a Who's Who of big banks and other companies at the center of alleged foreclosure fraud, a Reuters inquiry shows.
The firm, Covington & Burling, is one of Washington's biggest white shoe law firms. Law professors and other federal ethics experts said that federal conflict of interest rules required Holder and Breuer to recuse themselves from any Justice Department decisions relating to law firm clients they personally had done work for.
Both the Justice Department and Covington declined to say if either official had personally worked on matters for the big mortgage industry clients. Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said Holder and Breuer had complied fully with conflict of interest regulations, but she declined to say if they had recused themselves from any matters related to the former clients.
Reuters reported in December that under Holder and Breuer, the Justice Department hasn't brought any criminal cases against big banks or other companies involved in mortgage servicing, even though copious evidence has surfaced of apparent criminal violations in foreclosure cases.
the rest:
http://4closurefraud.org/2012/01/20/reuters-insight-top-justice-officials-eric-holder-and-lanny-breuer-connected-to-banks-freddie-fannie-and-mers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reuters-insight-top-justice-officials-eric-holder-and-lanny-breuer-connected-to-banks-freddie-fannie-and-mers
Autumn
(45,120 posts)rots from the head.
ChairmanAgnostic
(28,017 posts)it doesn't even hint at the disgust and cold anger that I feel at today's DOJ.
russspeakeasy
(6,539 posts)xocet
(3,874 posts)By Scot J. Paltrow
Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:31am EST
(Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Lanny Breuer, head of the Justice Department's criminal division, were partners for years at a Washington law firm that represented a Who's Who of big banks and other companies at the center of alleged foreclosure fraud, a Reuters inquiry shows.
The firm, Covington & Burling, is one of Washington's biggest white shoe law firms. Law professors and other federal ethics experts said that federal conflict of interest rules required Holder and Breuer to recuse themselves from any Justice Department decisions relating to law firm clients they personally had done work for.
Both the Justice Department and Covington declined to say if either official had personally worked on matters for the big mortgage industry clients. Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said Holder and Breuer had complied fully with conflict of interest regulations, but she declined to say if they had recused themselves from any matters related to the former clients.
Reuters reported in December that under Holder and Breuer, the Justice Department hasn't brought any criminal cases against big banks or other companies involved in mortgage servicing, even though copious evidence has surfaced of apparent criminal violations in foreclosure cases.
...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/20/us-usa-holder-mortgage-idUSTRE80J0PH20120120
Hell Hath No Fury
(16,327 posts)his "immoral but not illegal" determination.
Uncle Joe
(58,524 posts)Thanks for the thread, kpete.
FreakinDJ
(17,644 posts)for causing the Economic Melt Down and then practicing Vulture Capitalism on the Homeowners
sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)leaves the DOJ he can move to K Street with a nice ten fold increase in his income... unless he crosses the banks, then he'll just be out of a job. Those are his choices. What would you do? What would I do?
Scuba
(53,475 posts)... it's cost me jobs in the past but at least I can still look myself in the mirror each day. Eric is not going to starve living under a bridge after he leaves his post.
Anything less is traitorous.
AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)robinlynne
(15,481 posts)Tiggeroshii
(11,088 posts)I vote Kamala Harris!
Myrina
(12,296 posts)... when he appointed them in the first place?
Hawkowl
(5,213 posts)You'll take whomever the bankster backed president tells you to take. Just be thankful it's not a republican because....
Well, just because it would be terrible!
Tiggeroshii
(11,088 posts)But when there is enough political backlash over something, the banksters start to lose their say and maybe the Administration is actually forced to pick someone who will do their job.
Hotler
(11,475 posts)midnight
(26,624 posts)AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)wwytchwood
(31 posts)poor outta the loop Obama
AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)webDude
(875 posts)...does that say about our President, eh?
merkins
(399 posts)K&R
AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)eridani
(51,907 posts)I think I've heard of other states, but not sure which they are.
sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)girl gone mad
(20,634 posts)Solly Mack
(90,800 posts)2banon
(7,321 posts)So who picked Holder in the first place? Must have been the banksters, Geitner or Bernacke. I had assumed he was Obama's personal choice, due to close friendship, is what I thought I remembered reading at the time.
Wow. okay that explains a lot.
dreamnightwind
(4,775 posts)Interesting article, glad I took the time to read it.
Juneboarder
(1,732 posts)I've been dealing with numerous governmental agencies from local to state to federal with regard to my upside down mortgage. My wife and I got shammed into a liar loan in 2006 and we've now lost half our value and have no way to save our home from inevitable foreclosure, as our 2nd balloons in 4 years and we don't have a huge chunk of cash to pay it. All we've been asking for over a year now is that they (lender) refi our loan into a 30 year fixed; forget about any principal limit reductions... we agreed to the balance and we're just trying to be responsible and pay the bills we took on.
All I have to say is that I sent out over 250 letters and got back possibly 15 return mails, so a large portion of my letters were delivered. Responses from everyone so far have been nothing but disheartening. "You pay your bills on time, so there's nothing we can do for you."
Our only hope is that the CFPB or Fannie Mae comes through for me, but it's my experience that none of the bastards give a crap about the average citizen. Republican, democrat... equally corrupt representatives.
I did see a few comments regarding Attorney Generals in this thread, and I have to say that Kamala Harris' response to my letter was so disgustingly boiler plate.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)threatening foreclosure (they have a legal path they must follow for a few months) I applied for a loan modification. To my great surprise they gave me one. Evidently the system works for you if you stop being reliable. I do have a job which must have been the deciding factor. This was a year ago.
A caveat though, your IRS W2 will reflect the months you don't pay your mortgage so you'll end up owing taxes.
edited for spelling and bad grammar.
Hotler
(11,475 posts)Nothing is going to start to change until tens of thousands of citizens take to streets in every state.
fascisthunter
(29,381 posts)fascisthunter
(29,381 posts)criminal.... and one day, all these players will and should be held responsible for the damage they have done.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)Only the densest teabaggers don't get it by now.
lovuian
(19,362 posts)The GAO confirmed it as well for other agencies such as the Federal Reserve