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Posts Tagged ‘Wall Street oversight’

Wall Street’s SRO Police Take MAJOR Hit

Posted by Larry Doyle on October 3rd, 2013 8:58 AM |

Did you feel a sizable tremor running between Washington and Wall Street overnight? I did.

At the epicenter of this tremor was the first meaningful questioning of the practice of self-regulation on Wall Street by their governmental overseers at the SEC.

Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Jo White opened the door to a potential overhaul of financial-market oversight, saying the special regulatory status of U.S. exchanges may not best serve investors or public companies.

Wow. That simple statement may never lead anywhere, but the mere fact the SEC issued a statement of this sort is a tidal shift of epic proportions. Who else echoed the sentiments of this seismic activity?  (more…)

What’s Really Going on at the SEC?

Posted by Larry Doyle on March 10th, 2011 9:44 AM |

How do you view the local cops on the beat within your hometown? I recall fondly looking up to the ‘men in blue’ as a young boy in Boston. The general admiration and respect for our law enforcement back then certainly did not mean that there were not improprieties occurring. We should not be that naive. That said, the institution of law enforcement itself definitely commanded respect. Can we say the same for those enforcing financial regulations today? Regrettably the record over the last number of years shows significant shortcomings.

These shortcomings at the SEC were supposed to change under the leadership of Mary Schapiro. (more…)

John Lounsbury: “A Very Low Opinion of FINRA”

Posted by Larry Doyle on January 24th, 2011 7:00 AM |

“Who will protect me?”

How many investors in our nation continue to ask that question?

A lot!!

Throughout the crisis of the past few years and certainly well beyond that, investors have come to appreciate that they really need to learn to protect themselves. Why is that? We have rampant evidence  that neither Wall Street nor the financial regulators overseeing Wall Street have truly protected investors. So now what? (more…)

FINRA’s Enforcement Chief, Susan Merrill, Quits; How About a Subpoena?

Posted by Larry Doyle on March 18th, 2010 10:52 AM |

Will Susan Merrill provide America with a window into the scams perpetrated by Wall Street on the American investing public? Who is Susan Merrill? Let’s navigate.

Those charged with protecting the public interest must be held to an appropriate standard. In order to promote public trust, these organizations and their executives must be held to account. If need be, that accounting should include legal discovery and, if warranted, a subpoena as well.

Susan Merrill, the head of enforcement of Wall Street’s self-regulatory organization, FINRA, is stepping down after having occupied this role for three years. Think she knows some things that the American public would like to know? No doubt.

In fact, in my opinion, Ms. Merrill most likely has a wealth of information that American investors (those she was charged to protect) and the American public at large DESERVE to know. (more…)

Future Financial Regulation: Not a Question of Sufficiency, But of Transparency and Integrity

Posted by Larry Doyle on May 18th, 2009 12:38 PM |

Will our future regulatory structure of the financial industry allow capitalism to thrive? Will the political wizards in Washington prioritize personal agendas and expediency over unquestioned transparency and integrity? I believe we are at a critical regulatory crossroads not seen since financial regulations implemented in the Securities Act of 1933.

Do the powers that be both in Washington and Wall Street understand the magnitude of responsibilities and obligations involved in this process? Initial returns are decidedly mixed.  The debate by those intimately involved in the regulatory oversight is typically framed as a question of sufficiency. That is, does the industry have enough regulation or not?  

The media often frame the debate in political terms between laissez-faire proponents and those favoring increased government intervention. Both camps are missing the bigger picture, because both camps are feeding from the same trough. Allow me to expound.

The critical regulatory question facing our markets is not of sufficiency but is one of transparency. Regrettably, both ends of the regulatory spectrum do not want to address this glaring shortcoming because it exposes the very nature of the incestuous relationship between Wall Street and Washington. 

The mainstream media, to a large extent, is dependent on both Wall Street and Washington for their financial well being so they do not press or pursue the need for total regulatory transparency. Fortunately, Sense on Cents and other leading financial websites are not under this restriction. 

Let’s dig deeper and review where regulatory developments stand currently. As the Financial Times reports,  U.S. Poised For Finance Regulation Shake-Up:

Congress will next month start the biggest regulatory overhaul of the US financial system in decades, bringing into the open a frantic lobbying effort between banks, regulators and policymakers on what it contains and who pays for it.

The House financial services committee, chaired by Democrat Barney Frank, will hold hearings early in June into reforms outlined by Timothy Geithner, Treasury secretary, say people familiar with the timetable. 

Regrettably, before the debate even begins the premise of sufficiency versus transparency is accepted without question. Well, Sense on Cents is questioning the lack of transparency and resulting integrity of the process, which by its very nature strongly influences the outcome. Allow me to be more specific. Much as the Parliament in the U.K. is being rocked by a current scandal over expenses submitted by legislators, I strongly exhort those who truly care about capitalism, free market principles, and our democracy to address the very nature of the relationship betwen the banks, regulators, and policymakers. (more…)

Independent Investigation Required

Posted by Larry Doyle on April 21st, 2009 1:14 PM |

How does our economy and country move forward after having experienced rampant abuses throughout our financial industry? It is disheartening that we have not already seen an aggressive pursuit and prosecution of many involved in these financial improprieties. Bloomberg releases a story today indicating House Speaker Pelosi Wall Street Probe Modeled on Pecora After Wall Street Crash.

While a thorough investigation is critically important to improve the health and well being of our markets and economy, I would propose we employ an independent investigation. Why?

Our financial industry is intertwined with the regulatory and political oversight which is supposed to monitor it. If we employ a currently sitting legislative body to investigate Wall Street, can or will we receive a truly unbiased analysis? Do we recall Franklin Raines of Fannie Mae being questioned by members of Congress who had received significant campaign contributions from Fannie?  The “investigation” of Freddie and Fannie was certainly more theatre than true investigation. Will we get the same with Ms. Pelosi’s probe? Bloomberg offers:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to push for a comprehensive inquiry, saying that three-quarters of Americans want to know what led to the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and the collapse of Bear Stearns Cos. and Merrill Lynch & Co. She favors one patterned after Senate Banking Committee hearings led by Ferdinand Pecora starting in 1933, according to her spokesman, Nadeam Elshami.

The Pecora review “was probably the single most important congressional investigation in the history of our country, except perhaps the Watergate hearings,” Donald Ritchie, associate historian for the U.S. Senate, said in an interview. (more…)






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