[blind-democracy] Re: Eric Holder Returns as Hero to Law Firm That Lobbies for Big Banks

  • From: Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 08 Jul 2015 15:29:37 -0400

Actually, I don't think we'll have a choice. Things will evolve and all we
can do, or at least all I would do if I were still alive and capable of
doing anything, is to try to be as kind and helpful to people as I can be,
whatever happens.

Miriam

-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Hachey
Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2015 1:57 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Eric Holder Returns as Hero to Law Firm That
Lobbies for Big Banks

Hi Miriam,
I have little doubt that any revolution which takes power from the corporate
ruling class will be far from peaceful. But the choice is probably
revolution and chaos or more of the same. Which would you choose?
Bob Hachey

-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Miriam Vieni
Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2015 1:42 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Eric Holder Returns as Hero to Law Firm That
Lobbies for Big Banks

Look at our history. Our government has always been run on behalf of
business interests. Businessmen have always been appointed to high
government office. In what country has there ever been a government that has
not been run by the elite? I would really like Chris Hedges to explain to
me how he thinks one can organize a peaceful revolution in a mass society
run by a military corporat state and how we could educate masses of people
to take responsibility for governing themselves in a democratic fashion.

Miriam

-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2015 11:51 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Eric Holder Returns as Hero to Law Firm That
Lobbies for Big Banks

Right on Bob.
Even better than a three year waiting period would be to not allow people in
the White House door who are owned by one of the corporations that they are
charged with overseeing. Talk about foxes in the hen house! More like
Wolves pulling a chair up to our dinner tables.

Carl Jarvis


On 7/7/15, Bob Hachey <bhachey@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Carl,
Well, we know what kind of people Obama tends to appoint. Just more
proof of how beholden Obama is to the corporate empire. Holder is yet
another good corporate lackey. Shame on you Eric!
Along with trying to get the big money out of our politics, we really
do need to put restrictions on former administrators of government
agencies such that they are not allowed to lobby the government for at
least 3 years after they leave.
Bob Hachey

-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2015 9:49 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Eric Holder Returns as Hero to Law Firm
That Lobbies for Big Banks

Eric Holder, a good and faithful servant.

Carl Jarvis
On 7/6/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Eric Holder Returns as Hero to Law Firm That Lobbies for Big Banks By
Lee Fang @lhfang Today at 11:29 AM

After failing to criminally prosecute any of the financial firms
responsible for the market collapse in 2008, former Attorney General
Eric Holder is returning to Covington & Burling, a corporate law firm
known for serving Wall Street clients.
The move completes one of the more troubling trips through the
revolving door for a cabinet secretary. Holder worked at Covington
from 2001 right up to being sworn in as attorney general in Feburary
2009. And Covington literally kept an office empty for him, awaiting
his
return.
The Covington & Burling client list has included four of the largest
banks, including Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Wells
Fargo.
Lobbying records show that Wells Fargo is still a client of Covington.
Covington recently represented Citigroup over a civil lawsuit
relating to the bank's role in Libor manipulation.
Covington was also deeply involved with a company known as MERS,
which was later responsible for falsifying mortgage documents on an
industrial
scale.
"Court records show that Covington, in the late 1990s, provided legal
opinion letters needed to create MERS on behalf of Fannie Mae,
Freddie Mac, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and several other large
banks,"
according to an investigation by Reuters.
The Department of Justice under Holder not only failed to pursue
criminal prosecutions of the banks responsible for the mortage
meltdown, but in fact de-prioritized investigations of mortgage
fraud, making it the "lowest-ranked criminal threat," according to an
inspector
general report.
For insiders, the Holder decision to return to Covington was never a
mystery. Timothy Hester, the chairman of Covington, told the National
Law Journal that Holder's return to the firm had been "a project" of
his ever since Holder left to the join the administration in 2009.
When the firm moved to a new building last year, it kept an
11th-story corner office reserved for Holder.
James Garland, Holder's former deputy chief of staff, who rejoined
Covington in 2010, told the Law Journal that when Covington's
partners gathered to welcome Holder back four weeks ago, "He was so
busy giving people hugs and shaking hands."
As Covington prepared for Holder's return, the firm continued to
represent clients before the Department of Justice. For instance,
Covington negotiated with the department on behalf of GlaxoSmithKline
for a plea agreement in 2010.
Holder's critics charge that he made a career out of
institutionalizing "Too Big to Prosecute" rules within the department.
In 1999, as a deputy attorney general, Holder authored a memo arguing
that officials should consider the "collateral consequences" when
prosecuting corporate crimes. In 2012, Holder's enforcement chief,
Lanny Breuer, admitted during a speech to the New York City Bar
Association that the department may go easy on certain corporate
criminals if they believe prosecutions may disrupt financial markets
or cause layoffs. "In some cases, the health of an industry or the
markets are a real factor," Breuer said.
Rather than face accountability for their failures, the incentive
structure of modern Washington is designed to reward both men. Breuer
left the department in 2013 to rejoin Covington. Holder is set to
become among the highest-earning partners at the firm, with
compensation in the seven or eight figures.
(This post is from our blog: Unofficial Sources.)
Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty
Eric Holder Returns as Hero to Law Firm That Lobbies for Big Banks By
Lee Fang @lhfang Today at 11:29 AM Share
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After failing to criminally prosecute any of the financial firms
responsible for the market collapse in 2008, former Attorney General
Eric Holder is returning to Covington & Burling, a corporate law firm
known for serving Wall Street clients.
The move completes one of the more troubling trips through the
revolving door for a cabinet secretary. Holder worked at Covington
from 2001 right up to being sworn in as attorney general in Feburary
2009. And Covington literally kept an office empty for him, awaiting
his
return.
The Covington & Burling client list has included four of the largest
banks, including Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Wells
Fargo.
Lobbying records show that Wells Fargo is still a client of Covington.
Covington recently represented Citigroup over a civil lawsuit
relating to the bank's role in Libor manipulation.
Covington was also deeply involved with a company known as MERS,
which was later responsible for falsifying mortgage documents on an
industrial
scale.
"Court records show that Covington, in the late 1990s, provided legal
opinion letters needed to create MERS on behalf of Fannie Mae,
Freddie Mac, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and several other large
banks,"
according to an investigation by Reuters.
The Department of Justice under Holder not only failed to pursue
criminal prosecutions of the banks responsible for the mortage
meltdown, but in fact de-prioritized investigations of mortgage
fraud, making it the "lowest-ranked criminal threat," according to an
inspector
general report.
For insiders, the Holder decision to return to Covington was never a
mystery. Timothy Hester, the chairman of Covington, told the National
Law Journal that Holder's return to the firm had been "a project" of
his ever since Holder left to the join the administration in 2009.
When the firm moved to a new building last year, it kept an
11th-story corner office reserved for Holder.
James Garland, Holder's former deputy chief of staff, who rejoined
Covington in 2010, told the Law Journal that when Covington's
partners gathered to welcome Holder back four weeks ago, "He was so
busy giving people hugs and shaking hands."
As Covington prepared for Holder's return, the firm continued to
represent clients before the Department of Justice. For instance,
Covington negotiated with the department on behalf of GlaxoSmithKline
for a plea agreement in 2010.
Holder's critics charge that he made a career out of
institutionalizing "Too Big to Prosecute" rules within the department.
In 1999, as a deputy attorney general, Holder authored a memo arguing
that officials should consider the "collateral consequences" when
prosecuting corporate crimes. In 2012, Holder's enforcement chief,
Lanny Breuer, admitted during a speech to the New York City Bar
Association that the department may go easy on certain corporate
criminals if they believe prosecutions may disrupt financial markets
or cause layoffs. "In some cases, the health of an industry or the
markets are a real factor," Breuer said.
Rather than face accountability for their failures, the incentive
structure of modern Washington is designed to reward both men. Breuer
left the department in 2013 to rejoin Covington. Holder is set to
become among the highest-earning partners at the firm, with
compensation in the seven or eight figures.
(This post is from our blog: Unofficial Sources.)
Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty











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