Watchdog Blog

Justice Antonin Scalia's Son Hired By Wall Street To Fight Dodd-Frank Rule

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 03.02.2012

Read More: Gas Prices, Thewatchdog, CFTC Wall Street, National Parks Foundation, Eugene Scalia, 9/11 Remains, Scalia CFTC, Watchdog Blog, Oil Speculation, Position Limits, Parks Charity, Gas Prices Speculation, Business News

It's got all the ingredients of a high-stakes courtroom thriller: billions of dollars on the line, intense Wall Street deal-making, and highly profita...

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Why The FBI Says Corporate Fraud Is Increasing

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.27.2012

Read More: Financial Fraud, Thewatchdog, FBI Financial Fraud, FBI Financial Crime, Regulatory Blog, Financial Reform, China Corruption Sentence, Watchdog Blog, Securities and Exchange Commission, China Corruption, Business News

In China, the former president of the state-owned Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group was recently sentenced to death for taking almost $2 million in bribes...

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Study: Small-Business Contracts Going to Giant Companies

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.24.2012

Read More: Small Business Contracts, Thewatchdog, Watchdog Blog, Regulations Blog, Regulatory Blog, American Small Business League, SEC Revolving Door, Business News

Some of the world's biggest companies are benefiting from a program meant to help America's small businesses, according to a new study. Lockheed Ma...

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Dodd-Frank Rule Vote Delayed Again

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.22.2012

Read More: Dodd-Frank Act, Thewatchdog, Video, CFTC Rule, Regulatory Blog, Dodd-Frank Financial Overhaul, Libor, Watchdog Blog, Sec, Cftc, Dodd Frank, Business News

In what is becoming a troubling pattern, financial regulators have yet again delayed a vote on a crucial provision of the Dodd-Frank Act. The Commo...

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Despite Safety Concerns, Industry Wants Faster FDA Approval

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.15.2012

Read More: Thewatchdog, Fda Medical Devices, Regulatory Blog, Medical Device, Watchdog Blog, Medical Device Approval, CFTC Dodd-Frank, Medical Device Lobbying, Goldman Sachs Volcker Rule, Pipeline Safety, Business News

Is it more important to speed up the approval of medical devices for patients in pain or to make sure that they're safe? That question is being deb...

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Volcker Rule Needs To Be Tougher, Former Citi Chair John Reed Says

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.14.2012

Read More: Thewatchdog, Volcker Rule Comments, Video, Volcker Rule Wall Street, Obama 2013 Budget, Regulatory Blog, John Reed Volcker, John Reed, Obama Budget, Watchdog Blog, Usda, Volcker Rule, Business News

Amid the hue and cry on Wall Street that the Volcker rule goes too far to restrict banking activities, the former CEO of one giant bank thinks that th...

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Walmart Fined For 'Unacceptable' Workplace Violations

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.10.2012

Read More: Walmart Rochester, Walmart Violations, Walmart, Watchdog Blog, Thewatchdog, Walmart OSHA, SEC Mark Cuban, Business News

In recent years, Walmart has taken some steps to try to turn around its reputation as the company that everyone loves to hate through its sustainabili...

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Wall Street's All-Star Legal Team Prepares For Battle With Federal Task Force

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.09.2012

Read More: Wall Street Lawyers, Thewatchdog, Watchdog Blog, K&L Gates, Regulatory Blog, Financial Fraud Enforcement, Wall Street Fraud, White-Collar Crime, Business News

If you work on Wall Street and you observe some illegal shenanigans, make sure you call up the right Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. Over t...

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Whistleblower Says GE Fired Him For Raising Concerns About Corruption

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.08.2012

Read More: Thewatchdog, General Electric, GE Contract, GE Whistleblower, GE Iraq, Watchdog Blog, GE FCPA, GE Bribes, GE Energy, Khaled Asadi, Business News

A former Iraq-based General Electric executive claims he was fired after raising concerns that the company was violating federal anti-bribery laws. ...

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Far From Wall Street, Banks Are Being Punished For Misdeeds

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.07.2012

Read More: Bank Fraud, Thewatchdog, Watchdog Blog, Bank Crimes, Financial Crimes, Regulatory Blog, Wall Street, Northern Trust Bank, Business News

This story has been updated A former bank president faces 15 years behind bars after being found criminally responsible for fraud that "contributed...

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MF Global's Regulator Says Oversight Was 'Flawless'

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.03.2012

Read More: CME Regulation, Thewatchdog, Cftc Mf Global, CME Flawlessly, Regulatory Blog, MF Global, Watchdog Blog, MF Bankruptcy, CME Group, Business News

The hubris of financial industry titans truly knows no bounds. The chairman of the derivatives exchange that had oversight of bankrupt hedge fund M...

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Industry Pressure On Dodd-Frank Slows Progress On New Rules

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.02.2012

Read More: Dodd-Frank Act, Dodd-Frank, Barney Frank, Bank of America, Mitt Romney, Watchdog Blog, Chris Dodd, Obama, Barack Obama, Dodd-Frank Bill, Dodd Frank, Thewatchdog, Newt Gingrich 2012, Regulatory Blog, Wall Street, Mitt Romney 2012, Newt Gingrich, Business News

It's been more than a year and a half since President Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Act into law, promising that the new financial regulations "d...

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Ex-Credit Suisse Traders To Be Charged Over Subprime Fraud

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 02.01.2012

Read More: Thewatchdog, Watchdog Blog, Kareem Serageldin, Regulation Blog, Credit Suisse Fraud, Regulatory Blog, Credit Suisse Traders, Business News

Federal prosecutors are expected to charge four former Credit Suisse brokers with criminal fraud for misleading investors by inflating the value of su...

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SEC Probes Deutsche Bank's 'Crap' CDOs

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 01.30.2012

Read More: Regulation Blog, Watchdog Blog, Fda, Charles Wyly, START CDO, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Bank CDO, Thewatchdog, Freddie Mac, FDA Fees, Regulatory Blog, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Loreley Deutsche Bank, Sec, Deutsche Bank SEC, Regulation Watchdog, Securities and Exchange Commission, Business News

The Securities and Exchange Commission investigates a Wall Street behemoth over claims that it assembled and sold a package of subprime mortgage-backe...

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GE's Former Subprime Unit Probed for Possible Fraud

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 01.20.2012

Read More: Thewatchdog, WMC Mortgage, FDA Deadline, GE Subprime, GE Mortgage Crisis, The Watchdog, Watchdog Blog, GE Probe, Financial Crisis, GE FBI, Regulation Watchdog, WMC Mortgage Corp, Business News

It's been three long years since the housing bubble cratered the economy and not a single top mortgage executive sits behind bars. But sometimes the w...

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$3.7 Trillion Municipal Securities Market's Last U.S. Inspection 'Predated The Financial Crisis,' GAO Says

Posted 01.18.2012

Read More: Thewatchdog, Watchdog Column, Municipal Bonds, SEC Oversight, AirTran Whistleblower, Financial Crisis, Regulation, Credit Rating Agencies, Watchdog Blog, Regulatory Watchdog, Gao, Municipal Securities, Business News

Government oversight of the $3.7 trillion market for municipal securities, wracked by several high-profile cases of fraud and bid-rigging, is inadequa...

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Volcker Rule Limps To Finish Line

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 01.18.2012

Read More: Watchdog Column, Regulatory Umbrella, Cruise Ship Regulations, SEC Accomplishments, Allen Stanford, Watchdog Blog, Fda, Volcker Rule, Cftc, Thewatchdog, SEC Financial Crisis, Regulations, Watchdog, Sec, Usda, John Engler, Business News

"The Watchdog" is back off the leash, with more bark and bite. After a six-month break to focus on some other duties here at HuffPost, I'm happy to be...

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Dodd-Frank One Year Later: Slow Progress On Rules Amid Industry And GOP Onslaught

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 09.20.2011

Read More: Thewatchdog, Dodd Frank Bill, Dodd-Frank, Dodd Frank Act, Watchdog Blog, Dodd Frank Status, Financial Crisis, Dodd Frank Lobbying, Dodd Frank, Business News

NEW YORK -- When President Obama signed the most sweeping financial regulatory overhaul since the Great Depression into law last July, he warned that ...

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EPA Drops Tough New Lead Paint Rule In Face Of Industry Opposition

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 09.17.2011

Read More: EPA Rules, Thewatchdog, Regulation Blog, EPA Lead Paint, Cfpb, Watchdog Blog, Bus Safety, Dodd Frank, Healthy Living News

If you're not a regular reader of Professional Door Dealer magazine, you may have been unaware of the lobbying battle over a proposal to toughen lead ...

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While Prosecutors Nail Banks Over Offshore Tax Abuses, Lobbyists Push To Delay New IRS Rules

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 09.14.2011

Read More: Thewatchdog, Regulation Blog, Medical Research, Credit Suisse, Blackwater Overbilled, Offshore Tax, Offshore Tax Evasion, Watchdog Blog, Offshore Tax Havens, Wachovia Bailout, Tax Havens, IRS Offshore, Business News

Today's news that Credit Suisse is being probed by the Department of Justice as part of a wider probe into foreign banks suspected of aiding tax evasi...

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How To Keep Air Traffic Controllers From Sleeping On The Job

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 09.13.2011

Read More: Thewatchdog, Air Traffic Controllers, Regulation Blog, Faa, Faa Air Traffic Controllers, Lobbyists Dodd-Frank, NSA Google, Watchdog Blog, FAA Fatigue, Dodd-Frank Progress, Business News

After several well-publicized reports of air traffic controllers falling asleep in recent months, the Federal Aviation Administration and the controll...

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GAO Report On Proprietary Trading Slammed By Senate Dems As 'Misleading'

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 09.12.2011

Read More: Watchdog Blog, Thewatchdog, Prop Trading, Proprietary Trading, Regulation Watchdog, Volcker Rule, Volcker Rule Profits, Prop Trading GAO, Business News

A new government report on banks' controversial practice of trading and investing for their own profit was condemned Wednesday by congressional Democr...

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Safety Concerns Raised Over Deal To Allow Mexican Trucks On U.S. Highways

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 09.12.2011

Read More: Thewatchdog, Regulation Blog, Dodd Frank Summit, Mexican Truck Safety, Mexican Trucks, Watchdog Blog, Amy Gutmann, Unified Agenda, World News

Under an agreement quietly signed in Mexico City today, Mexican trucks will be able to transport goods on U.S. highways in return for Mexico's decisio...

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House Committee Wants To Drop Proposal To Expand Offshore Drilling Oversight

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 09.11.2011

Read More: EPA Drinking Water, Obama Regulations, Thewatchdog, Justice Cephalon, Harvey Pitt Dodd-Frank, Regulation Blog, Boemre, Watchdog Blog, Sec, Drilling Regulations, Federal Regulations, Offshore Drilling, Green News

House Republicans want to drop one of the key components of the Interior Department's overhaul of the troubled agency responsible for oversight of off...

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Foxes Guarding The Henhouse? Auditors Criticize Self-Regulation Of Hedge Funds

HuffingtonPost.com | Marcus Baram | Posted 09.10.2011

Read More: Sro, Thewatchdog, Selfregulation, SEC Oversight, Regulation Blog, SEC Chinese Companies, Watchdog Blog, Fracking Forest, Watchdog Regulations, Sec, Government Blog, Business News

Allowing the hedge fund and private equity fund industry to regulate itself might not be very effective, according to a new Government Accountability ...

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