FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: May 18, 2010

Washington, DC – Americans for Financial Reform is tired of these daily ploys to undermine Wall Street reform. After filibustering the entire bill for days, Republicans led by Sen. Richard Shelby appear to be back at it again, blocking any strengthening amendments in a pattern to prevent a cloture vote on Wall Street reform. They are carrying the water for Wall Street, which wants to stop these amendments, including Merkley-Levin that prohibits big banks like Goldman Sachs from betting against their clients and gambling with taxpayer-backed money for their own profit.

Heather Booth, Director, Americans for Financial Reform: “Clearly Sen. Richard Shelby is paying back Goldman Sachs more than $67,000 in donations by preventing the Merkley-Levin amendment from even getting a vote on the floor. And now the rest of the Republicans are following his lead by blocking amendments that would hurt their Wall Street buddies in an attempt to obstruct the entire bill. The Senate cannot let Republicans help out their Wall Street friends by preventing votes on reform that could have a real impact. We will not let the big banks win. We demand Republicans stop using cheap tricks to stop real Wall Street reform from moving forward.”

###