Americans for Financial Reform

News Category: AFR in the News

AFR in the News: Wall St. Regulators Propose Stricter Pay Rules for Bankers (NY Times)

““This is pretty clearly an improvement of the 2011 rule, but the 2011 rule was very weak,” said Marcus Stanley, the policy director at the advocacy organization Americans for Financial Reform. Mr. Stanley said he had hoped that banks would have to hold back pay for more than four years because big losses on bank investments can often take longer than that to materialize.”

AFR in the News: Banks Use Footnote to Look Smaller (Wall St. Journal)

“[Banks] are turning to the 79th page of a 2013 document titled “Regulatory Capital Rules” and looking at footnote 151. That reference effectively lets banks hold less capital against shorter-term derivatives… ‘This is classic regulatory arbitrage,’ said Marcus Stanley, policy director for public-interest group Americans for Financial Reform.”

AFR in the News: Why Elizabeth Warren’s Consumer Watchdog Could Be In Danger (Huffington Post)

“Brian Marshall, policy counsel for Americans for Financial Reform… contends that if PHH’s concern is really that the president lacks sufficient authority over a federal agency, a multi-member structure should be even more problematic. ‘To get control of the Federal Trade Commission, a president would have to remove three commissioners — and that is virtually impossible,’ he said.”

AFR in the News: Coalition of Unions, Consumer Groups Press Regulators on Bank “Living Wills” (Wall St. Journal)

“Tuesday’s letter to the Fed and FDIC from Americans for Financial Reform… is the latest evidence that the agencies could face some backlash if their verdict is favorable to the industry. The coalition includes large unions and public interest groups with powerful pull in Washington… The coalition asks that regulators, if they decline to find banks’ plans not credible, provide the public with a detailed explanation of improvements banks have made in the living wills since the firms failed to pass regulatory muster in 2014.”