Law and regulation

Tim Geithner's Treasury Department half-truths, exaggeration and intentional deceptions misled the public about Tarp and the AIG bailout, says the program's former Special Inspector General.

Giant banks pose such a threat to the economy that lawmakers have gone to extreme-and futile-lengths to protect against their failures, says the former Trap Special Inspector General.

Dodd-Frank was tailored to tame giant banks and has left smaller institutions suffering much of the collateral damage, says the former Trap Special Inspector General.

The Justice Department's fear of losing cases and lack of sophistication likely enabled many Tarp fraudsters to get off scott free, says the former Tarp Special Inspector General.

The Fed and Treasury fought fiercely to prevent Americans from learning that the Troubled Asset Relief Program was a giant bailout for banks-not homeowners-says the former Special Inspector General.

The Washington-Wall Street revolving door blinded policymakers to outside concerns and doomed the Troubled Asset Relief Program, says its former Special Inspector General.

The $2 billion loss not only helped proponents of a tougher Volcker Rule and punctured the myth of CEO Jamie Dimon's infallibility. It also strengthened calls from regulators like Tom Hoenig for stronger action against big banks.

As a former banker, I watched in amazement and disgust as the country's largest banks morphed from trusted fiduciaries of customer financial assets to unrepentant predators of consumer financial assets in just a few decades.

As the president challenged Republicans to support his refinancing initiative, his administration quietly backed away from a proposal to pay for the plan by imposing a tax on banks.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has dismissed one of the consultants overseeing a massive foreclosure review after it discovered a conflict of interest in outside work the company has performed.

Even before JPMorgan Chase announced its $2 billion trading loss, fewer than two out of five readers said CEO Jamie Dimon was "spot on" in declaring banks are healthiest when Washington doesn't meddle.

I guess I'm tired of reading and hearing banks and their managements cursed, ridiculed and extolled for causing the financial meltdown and economic crisis. It seems that most everyone from Washington to the "Occupy" groups wants a piece of banking's hide for the pain of this recent experience.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau outlined rules this week that would place new restrictions on mortgage origination points and fees, as well as originator compensation.

Donald H. Layton, formerly head of E-Trade, seeks to streamline operations at Freddie, cites strain of operating under conservatorship and describes his motivation as public service.

At a panel at the Chicago Fed regulatory conference, experts split on the right amount — and makeup — of capital needed to ensure a safe banking system.

Acting FDIC Chairman Marty Gruenberg presented a detail-heavy speech Thursday intended to persuade skeptical investors that the FDIC is willing and able to take down a large, failing firm.

The two House Democrats introduced a bill that mirrors Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown's Safe Banking Act.

Freddie Mac (FMCC) named Donald Layton, the former chief executive of online brokerage E-Trade Financial Corp. (ETFC), as its new CEO on Thursday.

In a letter to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, Sen. Robert Casey of Pennsylvania questioned whether Chinese banks will use state support to undercut U.S. competitors.

I've never been able to square bankers' constant demands for less regulation with their repeated requests for more government backing on loans, deposits and insurance.