Category Archives: Commentary

Letters to International Standard Setters: ISSB Greenhouse Gas Emissions Disclosure

Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund organized and submitted a letter signed by 16 organizations to the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). The letter pushes back on proposed amendments to the ISSB’s global greenhouse gas emissions disclosure framework that would exclude GHG emissions disclosure from

Blog: Private Equity Barons Defend Tax Breaks from the Shadows

As lawmakers continue to crunch the budget on Capitol Hill, the private equity (PE) industry is trying to protect its coveted carried interest tax loophole, which rewards its extractive risk-taking and exploitation of workers, communities and the public. This time, private equity firms are using a network of companies that they own, financially support, or are associated with to project an artificial image of homegrown resistance. In Texas and Louisiana, PE has enlisted oil and gas producers to fight its fight. And more widely across the country, they have brought in corporate landlords to do the same.

A book titled "Consumer Protection" on a desk with a gavel resting on top

Blog: Trump CFPB Abandons Data Broker Rule Aimed at Decreasing Fraud and Identity Theft

Earlier this week, the Trump CFPB withdrew the agency’s previously proposed data broker rule, which would have limited how our sensitive and private financial data is collected, used, and sold. With little to no other regulation over data brokers, the withdrawal of this rule will allow companies to collect and sell our private and sensitive financial data to third party strangers without oversight or accountability.

Blog: FIRM Act – Why It Should Worry You, And The “Debanking” Distraction

Recently, some of the most politically influential industries — fossil fuels, firearms, private prisons, crypto —  have been crying foul about so-called debanking, accusing banks of unjustly denying them financial services because of supposed political biases. This is part of a larger misinformation campaign that is hijacking civil rights language to frame powerful industries as victims of discrimination and achieve their deregulatory goals.

Cryptocurrency

Blog: Trump Crypto Ventures Should Stall Senate Consideration of Stablecoin Bill

The Senate is moving toward legislation to embed cryptocurrency tokens known as stablecoins into the fabric of the financial system at the very same time that a prominent person – no less than President Trump – is plumbing the depths of corruption and conflicts of interest. The beginning of the solution to the problem of crypto scams and corruption involves stopping this legislation – not fast-tracking it to enactment.