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HomeIs FINRA’s Board Tone Deaf?
Posted by Larry Doyle on August 20th, 2010 3:15 PM |
When might a voting process with overwhelming returns be negated by the wishes and desires of the powers that be? Am I speaking of those who may occupy bully pulpits in third world nations? No, that guess would not be close.
Am I referring to political leaders who are protected by military and business minions? Nope, still quite cold.
How about a board that is more affiliated with an organization’s executives than with its members? We are getting warmer.
What about financial regulators and a board who have the reputation of being much more closely aligned with major players within the financial industry than their rank and file members and American investors at large? Bingo!!
Let’s get more specific. A week ago, FINRA’s member firms voted overwhelmingly in favor of seven non-binding proxy proposals put forth by Amerivet Securities. In light of the vote and the overwhelming results, one would have thought that FINRA’s board would have absolutely no choice but to fully address these proposals. To do otherwise, one would think that the FINRA board might run the risk of further alienating its membership while sending a message to the American public at large that transparency and disclosures are virtues this financial regulator speaks of but does not truly practice. (more…)
What Will We Learn from FINRA’s Annual Meeting on 8-12-10?
Posted by Larry Doyle on August 11th, 2010 12:20 PM |
Wall Street’s self-regulatory organization, FINRA, holds its annual meeting tomorrow inWashington D.C.. What will we learn? Will FINRA’s member firms vote for a number of non-binding proposals which would shine real light on the inner workings of this organization? America deserves to learn so much more than has ever been revealed about FINRA.
I have shared with many people that I believe the underlying tone of our markets would improve if FINRA were compelled to open its books and records. Why do I so strongly believe that? True transparency inherently breeds investor confidence. I made this very point to Joe Giannone of Reuters just the other day. Regular readers of Sense on Cents are fully aware of my feelings. Joe highlights the topics surrounding FINRA for a wider audience as he writes, FINRA Faces Calls to Lift Veil on Finances, Pay:
Wall Street regulator FINRA, which demands disclosure and openness from brokers, is under pressure to lift the veil on its own affairs.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a private corporation that regulates the nation’s 4,700 brokerages, will learns at its annual meeting on Thursday how many support a dissident’s call for more transparency. (more…)
Helen Davis Chaitman Plans to Sue the SEC
Posted by Larry Doyle on August 1st, 2010 11:41 AM |
Does the SEC believe it needs to restrict the public’s access to information in order to gain the favor of those from whom it is requesting the information in the first place (that is banks, hedge funds, and money managers)? Is ‘looking toward the future’ a convenient line of reasoning when, in fact, the SEC is actually more concerned with skeletons from its past? Which skeletons might these be? Can you say Bernie Madoff and Allen Stanford? Is America supposed to take the SEC’s own internal reviews of these frauds as sufficient explanation as to the SEC’s failures on these frauds?
While many in the financial industry have little interest in ever again hearing the name Bernie Madoff, one individual in our nation continues the fight for justice from this massive fraud. To whom do I refer? Helen Davis Chaitman of Becker & Poliakoff.
Some may recall that last November I interviewed Ms. Chaitman, pro bono legal representative for a large number of Madoff investors. She provided riveting insights then and she did not disappoint on a recent interview on Fox Business. Helen is not bashful in highlighting that she plans on suing the SEC for its failings in the Madoff scam.
Is the SEC looking to restrict access to information because of Helen’s pending lawsuit? Let’s listen . . .
Helen is not only speaking up on behalf of Madoff investors, but she is truly standing up on behalf of all American investors. I commend her. No surprize that Helen is a decorated member of the Sense on Cents Hall of Fame!
LD
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Fox Business Highlights Need for SEC Transparency
Posted by Larry Doyle on July 29th, 2010 12:33 PM |
Kudos to Fox Business News for leading the charge within the financial media on the need for real transparency at the SEC. FBN’s Adam Schapiro was just on chatting with Stuart Varney on this very important topic. Listen to Adam, and ponder his comments in light of the Madoff and Stanford travesties that took place literally right under the nose of the SEC. (Clicking on the image will bring you to the Fox Business News website, and the video clip will begin to play automatically.)
Who is the SEC protecting?
LD
After Goldman, Who’s Next in the SEC’s Scope?
Posted by Larry Doyle on July 22nd, 2010 1:15 PM |
One would think the SEC’s settlement with Goldman Sachs was just the break we needed in the logjam to finally get some real truth and transparency into Wall Street business practices. Recall that the Goldman CDO Abacus represented a mere .2 of the total CDO market from 2006-2008.
There must be many more fish in that tank just waiting to get caught by the SEC. American taxpayers deserve nothing less than a full and total accounting and adjudication of the travesty and transgressions embedded in a number of structured transactions on Wall Street. Will we receive that accounting? Is the SEC sending a strong message to those on Wall Street that ‘there’s a new sheriff in town?’ Or is the SEC placating the American public, applying a sizable slap on the wrist to Goldman, and giving Wall Street a wink and a nod indicating that it is ‘business as usual?’ Let’s navigate. (more…)
The Only Real Question Regarding Goldman’s Settlement with the SEC
Posted by Larry Doyle on July 16th, 2010 7:34 AM |
Who’s next?
We can debate all day long whether the settlement of SEC charges against Goldman Sachs for $550 million is fair or not. While that debate will occur all over Wall Street and throughout the world of global finance today, the question regarding the size of this settlement is not important in and of itself. I am not saying that $550 million is not a lot of money. Nor am I saying that Goldman may be getting off easy. The only question I have is, “Who’s next? ”
Are we to think that the Goldman Abacus-CDO transaction is the only ABS-backed CDO that employed improper marketing? Do not be so naive. In fact, if Goldman employed improper marketing in one deal, are we to believe they did not do the same in many others? Do you ever find just one mouse? (more…)
SEC’s Senior Staff/Inmates Are Running the Asylum **STRONGLY RECOMMENDED**
Posted by Larry Doyle on June 15th, 2010 9:07 AM |
Any employee in any organization knows that an internal disciplinary double standard is the quickest way to kill morale. Happens all the time, right? Likely even worse in organizations with lots of bureaucracy? Uncle Sam would not know how to operate otherwise, you say? The answers to all those questions may be the affirmative, but that does not make a double standard right nor does it mean that it should be tolerated. Why do I broach this topic?
Our friends at the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) released a report just yesterday highlighting the pathetic disciplinary measures and massive double standard at the SEC in responding to recommendations from its own Office of Inspector General (OIG). POGO reports:
….this is not the first time the SEC has refused to follow an OIG recommendation for disciplinary action. (more…)
