Wells Fargo, the San Francisco-based megabank, has been embroiled in a series of scandals, lawsuits, and customer abuses over the past decade. Despite public outrage and legal actions, the bank’s executives have failed to address the issues adequately. They have been accused of lying to Congress, neglecting shareholder complaints, and evading accountability for their wrongdoings while claiming to make improvements.
We are thrilled to announce that our Advocacy and Legislative Director, Renita Marcellin, is a featured speaker at EconCon 2023 (June 8-9). Marcellin is sharing insights on the reasons behind the failure of Silicon Valley Bank and delving into other important topics.
“… it’s called climate change because the climate is changing, and much faster than scientists originally anticipated. We cannot merely use past data to predict future climate impacts,” wrote Alex Martin, senior policy analyst at AFR. “We must take a precautionary approach and heed the stern warnings from scientists about our dire current global trajectory. The US will not be spared the effects.”
Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund submitted a comment to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) supporting its proposal to prohibit conflicts of interest in securitizations. Such conflicts were at the heart of the Great Financial Crisis of 2008 leading to trillions of dollars in losses across the financial system and irreparable harm to millions of homeowners. Now, with the growth in securitizations such as those backed by commercial real estate and other assets, the SEC’s proposals can ensure that similar practices do not happen again at the harm of investors and others.
New study by the American Antitrust Institute and Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund calls attention to the growing presence of private equity ownership in the home healthcare sector.
AFREF submitted comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on its proposal to modernize the regulatory process to better account for racial and economic inequality, climate change, and other factors within economic analysis; and improve transparency and empower and benefit members of marginalized communities through the regulatory process.
AFR sent a letter to members of Congress opposing several capital markets bills that fail to address the inherent lack of information and protections in investing in private offerings while opening the door for more investors to have access to such products by using these proposed pathways to become an “accredited investor”.
AFR’s Advocacy and Legislative Director Renita Marcellin testified before the NY State Senate Standing Committee on Banks.
Despite being in a legal fight for its very existence, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau continues to carry out its mission to promote fairness and transparency in our financial system and ensure that consumers are protected from predatory and deceptive practices. Its ability to perform under pressure is one more reason why we need a strong CFPB.
“Wall Street will face renewed scrutiny from the American public about the privileges it enjoys thanks to a political system that for far too long went along with what the industry wanted, no matter the costs to the rest of us,” said Lisa Donner, executive director of Americans for Financial Reform.