Senator Elizabeth Warren continued her struggle to hold banking industry accountable.

                 Senator Elizabeth Warren is again championing average Americans by trying to hold the banking industry accountable. This time her target is illegal foreclosures. Since Senator Warren has joined the Senate Banking Committee she has made waves with her sharp criticism of government regulators tasked with controlling the nations banking system. She quizzed Securities and Exchange Commission chairwoman Elisse Walter about why no banks were taken to trial after the 2008 financial collapse. She also grilled Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke over policies that promote financial institutions that are too big to fail.

            This past week Daniel Stipano, deputy chief counsel of the office of Comptroller of the Currency and Richard Ashton, deputy general counsel for the Board of Governers of the Federal Reserve, were in her sights. They both testified before a Banking Committee subcommittee last Thursday at a hearing on the role of independent consultants. Warren criticized both men for not providing information to Congress or to homeowners about illegal foreclosures in order to help the homeowners receive compensation. Warren said in an interview last Friday, ” I think the question that we put to the regulators is whether they were there to help to protect banks or help to protect families that had been victims of illegal foreclosure practices. I was not satisfied with the answers and we’re going to stay after them.”

                  The Federal government is offering financial aid to help people whose homes were illegally foreclosed. But the assistance doesn’t arduous to much. This is part of a $25 billion National Mortgage settlement reached between banks, the Federal government and attorneys general across the nation. The program applies to borrowers foreclosed one by Ally/GMAC, Bank of America, Citi, JOMorgan Chase and WellsFargo, the nations 5 largest mortgage servicers. The payments could be as low as $840 per homeowner, could be higher, depending on the number of borrowers who participate. Jeff Genres, managing attorney for the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, called the settlement rough justice. Adding that it is not compensation for taking your home, it is compensation for the banks committing a crime on the courts.

               On January 31 Senator Warren and Representative Elijah E Cummings requested documents detailing what a review found, such as the number of improper foreclosures, the amount of inflated fees or the extent of abusive practices by each service. The regulators staff refused to provide any documents that would identify wrongdoing by any specific bank. It would be very surprising indeed if mortgage servicing companies argued that their ability to engage in illegal foreclosures and charge inflated fees is a commercially viable plan derived from corporate innovation. The letter also points out that agencies have clear regulatory discretion to provide members of Congress with documents and that agencies could protect against a potential waiver by sending a simple cover letter, as other agencies have done routinely.

               President Obama should be behind Senator Warren and Representative Cummings all the way. Democrats should be jumping on board and trying to get Republicans to do the same. The banks almost crippled us economically and made billions after the fact. It is time for them to pay up.

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Fracking Secrecy Denied.

             A judge ruled recently in favor of journalists seeking access to information about a fracking pollution case. Judge Debbie O’Dell-Seneca reversed an order by a Washingto County court sealing the record in a case in which a Pennsylvania family sued several gas companies over property damage and health impacts related to air and water pollution from nearby Natural gas operations. The Pittsburgh Post Gazzette and the Observer-Reporter had intervened in the case to unseal the records.

          Earthjustice, the non-profit environmental law firm, submitted anamicus brief supporting the newspapers on behalf of Philedelphia Physicians for Social Responsibility, Physicians, Scientists and Engineers for Healthy Energy, Dr Bernard D Goldstein, Dr Walter Tsou, Dr Jerome A Paulson, Dr William Rom, Dr Sandra Steingraber, Dr Simona Perry, Dr Robert Oswald, Dr Michelle Bamburger, Kathryn Vennie and Earthjustice. The doctors, scientists and advocates argued in favor of greater transparency about natural gas operations and their health effects.

             Earthjustice attorney, Mathew Gerhart said ” This case pitted the Natural Gas Industries insistence on secrecy against the history committments of the courts to public access to judicial proceedings. The courts ruling affirmed the importance of public access to the courts. This is a victory for everyone who believes we need more information and health consequences of frackin.”

                     Michelle Bamburger and Robert Oswald published a peer reviewed paper linking fracking with illness and the death of livestock. They cited 24 cases in 6 states, all the cows died or suffered serious health or reproductive problems after being exposed to fracking chemicals. The paper described cases of cows dalling sick, appearing to recover then a year later giving birth to still born calfs, to swelling limbs, infections, tails falling off and a healthy herd of 17 dropping dead 1 hour after fracking fluid spilled into their pasture.

               The latter herd had died of necropsy- respiratory failure with circulatory collapse. Petroleum hydrocarbons were found in their small intestines and lesions in their tracheas, lungs, livers and kidneys. Vasculitis, inflamation in the walls of the blood vessels . When blood vessels get inflamed they get narrow, making it more difficult for blood to flow through them. Sometimes they close off completely, cutting of all circulation, which can lead to a tail falling off.

              The Natural Gas Industry is very displeased with this ruling, leading many to believe that they are hiding something bigger. Transparency cannit hurt a company that is not polluting. This is a victory for the little guy.

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Is Governor Tom Corbett guilty of accepting illegal gifts.

               On March 5 the Pennsylvania Democratic party filed an ethics complaint against Governor Tom Corbett. Governor Corbett is accusedof recieving gifts from lobbyist and orgainizations that later benefitted from his policies.

            One example is on December 12, 2011, Frank Schoeneman, chief executive of the Pottsville based Empire Education Group, which is a leading chain of beauty schools in Pa. and nationwide. He flew Governor Corbett on a private jet to an event in Pittsburgh- a jaunt that the governor priced at $1,407, the price of a first class ticket. 10 months later Governor Corbett signed a bill into law aimed at aiding cosmetology students who attend schools like those operated by Schoeneman, by making it easier for those students to obtain a state license.

            A Daily News examination of state disclosure forms found that Corbett and his wife, Susan, accecpted $11,343 in gifts from business executives and lobbyist or lobbying firms in 2010 and 2011. They recieved hockey tickets, Steelers playoff tickets, private jet travel, seats for the Philedelphia Orchestra, a Rhode Island summer vacation aboard a business mans yacht, and even money for her inauguration gown from business interests. Unlike some states statutes, Pa. law doesnt explicitely bar elected officials from recieving gifts or free travel. Although they are required to report any gifts of substance on a statement of financial interests. This statement is filed annually with the Pa. state ethics commision.

             It is argued that Corbett may have violated a 1980 Code of Conduct for the Executive Branch. It states that no official may solicit or accept for the personal use of himself or for another a gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or other things of monetary value from anyone seeking business from or regulated by the Commonwealth. The codes say violations of these rules can be punished up to termination- arguably a moot point when the allegation involves the governor.

                 Corbett maintains his innocence, although none of the gift givers seem eager to talk. Whether he is guilty or not and elected official should not be recieving gifts from any corporation, person or group that may benefit from his policies. If this turns out to be true, the corruption in Pa. runs directly to the top. The people cannot trust an elected official who only helps those who give him something. Many people in Pa. would be happy to see the downfall of Governor Corbett. I voted against him and do not like his policies or trust him. But he cannot be called guilty if he did not violate a law, he is innocent until proven guilty.

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Pay to play in Pennsylvania, a little more corruption for us.

            Top former officials of the Pa. Turnpike and a prominent ex-legislator were among 8 people indicted Wensday. Joseph Brimeier, retired 2011 as Chief Executive of the Turnpike Commission and former state minority leader Robert J. Mellow (D-Lackawana) are accused of illegally soliciting political contributions and misusing Turnpike funds. Others indicted were Mitch Rubin former turnpike chairman, George Hatalowich former COO, employees Raymond Zajicek and Melvin Sheldon and vendor employees Dennis Miller and Jeffrey Suzeski.

                  A pay to play culture permeated the turnpike, according to Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane. Companies seeking work with the turnpike lavished officials with entertainment, dinners, trips and sporting events. Political contributors were rewarded with contracts and politicians were rewarded with gifts and perks, according to the grand jury. The jurors 85 page presentment told of a 60/40 rule, the majority in power got 60% of contracts and jobs, the minority the other 40%. The Pittsburgh grand jury deliberated for 44 months and interviewed hundreds of witnesses. Investigating is continuing but is restricted under an 8 year statute of limitations.

                     Mellow who is currently in a federal prison in South Carolina on unrelated corruption charges. He was charged with corrupt organizations, bribery, bid rigging, conspiracy and other offenses. Brimeier is facing similar charges. Miller, Rubin, Hatalowich and Suzenski were arraigned on Wensday and released on $100,000 unsecured bail. Shelton and Brimeier are expected in court today.

              In March 2009, then Governor Ed Rendell fired Rubin as commissioner chairman when he found out Rubin was a targetn a corruption probe of Vincent J. Fumo. The turnpike figured tangetially in the federal case against Fumo. Fumo was convicted of fraud and other charges in 2009.

                 Well this shows that corruption is not just a one party item. Democrats are guilty as well. Pennsylvania needs to get a lid on things because corruption is tearing through our state. We have good reason not to trust our state government. This is an abuse of power and all involved should be punished to the full extent of the law.

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