May 2024 - cypherpunks - lists.cpunks.org

The Curious Money Trail Behind the Supreme Court/Clarence Thomas Decision to Rescue a Federal Agency that Wall Street Hates
by Gunnar Larson 21 May '24

21 May '24

https://wallstreetonparade.com/2024/05/the-curious-money-trail-behind-the-s… Donald Trump, Jones Day Law Firm, Billionaire Charles Koch and the Assault on the CFPB By Pam Martens and Russ Martens: May 20, 2024 ~ Last Thursday, in a stunning 7-2 win for the little guys and gals in America, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau et al v Community Financial Services Association of America, Ltd., et al. Making the decision all the more stunning, it was written by Clarence Thomas, the sitting justice who has been under withering attack in the press for selling out to special interests. (There is speculation that the Thomas name is on the decision to quiet the media uproar against him.) The two dissenting votes came from Justices Samuel Alito (target of a ProPublica investigation in 2023) and Neil Gorsuch, around whom conflicts of interest controversy is also swirling. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has been the target of Wall Street lobbyists since before its birth under the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation of 2010 and every year since. Dodd-Frank and the creation of the CFPB came as a Congressional response to the greatest fraudulent wealth transfer from the middle class to the 1 percent since the Wall Street frauds of the late 1920s. Both periods devastated the U.S. economy for years and left millions of Americans unemployed and their savings wiped out. Wall Street megabanks and other bad financial actors are particularly hostile to the fact that the CFPB allows consumers who have been victimized by financial firms, even where small amounts of money are involved, to file a complaint with the CFPB, which then demands a timely written explanation from the alleged wrongdoer. Bad actors dislike the fact that these complaints go into a permanent database at the CFPB, which can be mined by the public, reporters, attorneys and prosecutors looking for patterns of fraud. On May 15 of last year, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, led 144 current and former members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case. Their amicus argues that when Congress established the CFPB after the 2008 financial crisis, a judgment was made that the CFPB, like other financial regulators, needed independence from unpredictable annual funding cycles to be effective. As legislated in the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB is funded through the Federal Reserve. Congress maintains oversight authority of the CFPB, and the Director of the agency testifies regularly before Congress. The Community Financial Services Association of America, the opposing front group in the Supreme Court case, which cleverly put the homespun word “Community” in its name, is the evil twin sister of the CFPB. It’s a pool of financial sharks, including payday lenders, who don’t want a well-funded federal investigatory agency looking into their predatory practices against financially-strapped and/or financially unsophisticated Americans. The case arrived at the Supreme Court reeking of stench from a decision handed down by a three-judge panel at the radical right-wing 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. All three judges on the panel (Don Willett, Kurt Engelhardt, and Cory Wilson) were appointed by former President Donald Trump. The 5th Circuit effectively ruled that the CFPB’s funding system, legislated by Congress, was unconstitutional. The tentacles of the former Trump administration and the invisible hands that had an outsized role in setting the agenda for it, fossil fuels billionaire Charles Koch and his corporate law firm, Jones Day, have their fingerprints all over this case. On Trump’s first day in office on January 20, 2017, Jones Day announced that 12 of its law partners were moving into the Trump administration. Among the 12 was Noel Francisco, who became Trump’s Solicitor General. Francisco became one of the five Jones Day lawyers that argued before the Supreme Court for the dodgy front group CFSA that brought this case against the CFPB. CFSA is a nonprofit, which means that at least part of its annual tax filing with the IRS (form 990) is a public document. The 990s show that Jones Day is not just representing CFSA at the Supreme Court but that Jones Day has been its law firm dating back to at least 2016. The annual amounts received by Jones Day from CFSA are as follows: 2021 – $751,150; 2020 – $377,019; 2018 – $571,822; 2017 – $516,150; and 2016 – $574,613. Gutting the funding and power of federal regulatory agencies is something that Charles Koch and his myriad front groups have been attempting to do for the past 40 years. For Wall Street On Parade’s investigative reporting on the insidious ties between Charles Koch and Clarence Thomas (as he sat on the Supreme Court) see here. Senator Sherrod Brown, Chair of the Senate Banking Committee, issued this statement after the Supreme Court decision was released last Thursday: “Wall Street tried to use the courts to kill the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and they failed. Powerful corporate special interests know the CFPB stands up to them, which is why they have been trying to gut the agency for over a decade. Today’s decision protects workers and consumers who don’t have high-paid lobbyists and lawyers to fight their battles for them. We created the CFPB to be their voice, and I will continue to ensure the agency is able to do its job protecting consumers from Wall Street greed.” One of the most outspoken members of Congress when it comes to actively engaging in investigating corruption at the U.S. Supreme Court is Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). In a message to constituents last Thursday, Whitehouse wrote this: “This term’s docket is a reminder that the Court has the power to reshape Americans’ daily lives. Yet the highest court in the land still has the lowest ethics standards. “In the Court That Dark Money Built, right-wing donors envelop favored justices in secret gifts, emoluments, and donations. Yet there have been zero repercussions for the right-wing justices caught receiving unreported gifts and accommodations from Republican billionaires with stakes in Court decisions. “Even after all these ethical failures, the Supreme Court still does not have any method of enforcing a code of ethics — something every other federal court has. Not even an investigation. “Then there’s the corrupt judicial fact-finding. This Supreme Court makes up phony facts to arrive at decisions that benefit Republican special interests. Even if we un-packed the Court the billionaires packed, and cleaned up the ethics mess the billionaires have made, the bad decisions based on false facts will live on like zombies. “So, how can the American people trust they’re getting a fair shake in these cases that could fundamentally change life in America? “I’m not sure they can. Not until we fix the ethics problem.” And exactly how can Americans fix the problem? A citizen-focused Congress must be elected in order to pass campaign finance reform that will restore representation in Congress to the people instead of billionaires and corporate interests. And how is that going to happen when out-of-state money from millionaires and billionaires is flooding into Senate and House races that will be decided on November 5? It can happen if every voting age American gets out and votes in November and if every American who can afford it gives at least $5 to the Congressional candidate of their choice.

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SFO Seizes Cash In Bank Account Linked To Nigerian Bribery
by Gunnar Larson 21 May '24

21 May '24

SFO Seizes Cash In Bank Account Linked To Nigerian Bribery <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1838963?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Christopher Crosby Britian's anti-corruption agency has seized more than £36,000 ($46,000) from the former managing director of an African state-owned banknote printing company after prosecutors traced the money to a bribery scheme. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1838963?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1838963?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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Autonomy CEO Reaped $516M From HP Acquisition, Jurors Told
by Gunnar Larson 21 May '24

21 May '24

Autonomy CEO Reaped $516M From HP Acquisition, Jurors Told <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1839082?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Bonnie Eslinger Ex-Autonomy CEO Michael Lynch took home more than $516 million from the software company's $11.7 billion sale to HP, an FBI agent testified Monday as the government's last witness in a trial over allegations Lynch duped HP into overpaying to buy the company. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1839082?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1839082?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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Step Up Action On Financial Abuse, FCA Tells Firms
by Gunnar Larson 21 May '24

21 May '24

Step Up Action On Financial Abuse, FCA Tells Firms <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1838802?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Alex Davidson The Financial Conduct Authority has called on regulated firms to take further steps to stop financial abuse of individuals through manipulation of banking or insurance products as it looks through the lens of the Consumer Duty. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1838802?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1838802?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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Crypto 'Inventor' Used Court As Vehicle For Fraud, Judge Says
by Gunnar Larson 21 May '24

21 May '24

Crypto 'Inventor' Used Court As Vehicle For Fraud, Judge Says <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1838801?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Lucia Osborne-Crowley A London court ruled Monday that the man who claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto in a weekslong trial lied extensively and committed forgery "on a grand scale," finding that the computer scientist had used the courts as a "vehicle for fraud." Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1838801?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1838801?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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BREAKING: Assange Gets Final Appeal In Fight Against US Extradition
by professor rat 21 May '24

21 May '24

Mark Summers KC, for Assange, argued that nationality is wider than, and inclusive of, citizenship – Assange is therefore both a non-citizen and a non-national of the US. Britain reportedly infected thousands with tainted blood - so lets hope the appeal doesn’t drag on past Xmas. JULIAN " Being guilty of aggravated rape has nothing to do with our party" A. Broinowski. Wikileaks Party NSW candidate for au Senate. 2013. Where-ever inalienable free speech rights are respected no special celebrity rapists journalists shields or privileges are required. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press . . . " Persecution of KGB Russian journalists an exception that proves this rule. [ State intelligence agencies ] “… when they fail they need to be punished and when they succeed they need to be praised…” Assange 2016 “… Mr Assange agreed that some level of privacy was necessary for the successful operation of the military …” http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/assange-i-can-rule-from-… JULIAN " ‘[The military] protects the sovereignty of Australia. It protects the independence of Australia.’ ASSANGE July, 2013 I, for one, think Julian’s right to insert his foot in his mouth must never be abridged - EVER!

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Re: Morning Spam
by Undescribed Horrific Abuse, One Victim & Survivor of Many 20 May '24

20 May '24

On Thu, Mar 7, 2024 at 05:02 Undescribed Horrific Abuse, One Victim & Survivor of Many <gmkarl(a)gmail.com> wrote: > 1800 > rebel worker 2 gets confused sometimes, but for years has been on his > mission to root out corporate and political corruption from his nation. > unbeknownst to him, he was a plant all this time, a figurehead in a shell > corporation placed by traffick boss and purportedly given a brain implant > so that traffick boss would have some control over the inevitable > embarrassing “lies” that newspapers and databases can run > > fast forward, rebel worker 2 is dragging traffick boss to an anti-mind > control recovery event, but once he finally got there, rebel worker 2 > seemed to zone out and started acting like he was back in his shell > corporation doing work () on traffick boss’s dollar investigating funded > scandal stories that were generally caused by traffick boss himself ((too > much backstory!! where does all this backstory come from?? > (fuming)(maybe?))) > > traffick boss: “uhhhh are you okay? did you bring me here for a reason?” > > 1805 1806 1807 > -0800 2024-03-06 > > 2024-03-07 0456 > > how traffick boss was taken out of power > > after traffick boss was forced to attend mind control recovery workshops > with rebel worker 2 and experimentee he came back > > (fictional traffick boss) > > traffick boss: “when i was young i was raped by my father” > maybe poop is aroundhere, maube something like, “a child doesn’t understand the similarity or difference between love and between pooping > > traffick boss looks at dictator of dictatortopia, wealthy investor, > janitor, and intern > traffick boss is holding easels and slides and presentation material and > begins setting them up > > traffick boss: “he raped me over and over and over again, and physically > abused me. he violated me in the worst ways.” > > traffick boss sets up an easel with giant text saying something like “mind > control and rape of the body and soul” > > traffick boss: “rape is mind control and i didn’t understand.” > > traffick boss cries. > > traffick boss points at easel. > > traffick boss: “i didn’t inderstan!” > > traffick boss pauses for impact, then flips the page on the easel > > traffick boss: “my father, my own traffic boss, would rape me whenever i > wouldn’t understand” > > (… the next bit is about the consciousness splitting off into fragments … > > traffick boss wants to talk about this a lot. > > this is probably important because everybody else needs the therapy too, > even if they weren’t raped by traffick boss’s father. > > (something about poop. maybe eating one’s own.) > >>

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BREAKING: Assange Gets Final Appeal In Fight Against US Extradition
by Gunnar Larson 20 May '24

20 May '24

BREAKING: Assange Gets Final Appeal In Fight Against US Extradition <https://www.law360.com/cybersecurity-privacy/articles/1838270?nl_pk=3dfd2fd…> By Christopher Crosby Julian Assange won a lifeline in his long-running fight against extradition to the U.S. on Monday as an English court granted him permission to challenge assurances from American authorities that the Wikileaks founder would not face discrimination at trial. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/cybersecurity-privacy/articles/1838270?nl_pk=3dfd2fd…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/cybersecurity-privacy/articles/1838270?nl_pk=3dfd2fd…>

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Stubhub, Attys Face Sanctions Bid Over 'Strategy Of Evasion'
by Gunnar Larson 20 May '24

20 May '24

Stubhub, Attys Face Sanctions Bid Over 'Strategy Of Evasion' <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/1838076?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…> By Bonnie Eslinger Counsel for consumers seeking StubHub refunds for events canceled or rescheduled due to COVID-19 urged a California federal magistrate judge Thursday to sanction the online ticket platform and its lawyers, saying they've "engaged in a strategy of evasion, denial and distortion" to avoid producing hyperlinked documents despite a court order. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/1838076?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/1838076?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…>

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Royalty Suit Aims To Make Spotify Nix 'Bundled' Subscription
by Gunnar Larson 20 May '24

20 May '24

Royalty Suit Aims To Make Spotify Nix 'Bundled' Subscription <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1838248?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> By Andrew Karpan In a lawsuit against Spotify, the nonprofit the U.S. Copyright Offices uses to distribute royalties alleged Thursday that the audio streaming service's new premium subscription package could cause illegal underreporting of royalties and cost songwriters and music publishers "hundreds of millions of dollars." Complaint attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1838248?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1838248?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…>

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