Quote of the Day: Wall St. Villains

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Asked by a member of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission about whether there was a singular event—the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, say, or looser capital requirements at banks, or the staggering decline in underwriting standards—that led to the financial meltdown, Peter J. Solomon, a veteran investment banker, had this to say:

“It was a perfect storm from inside. It was a confluence. If you listed the number of villains in this tale, you wouldn’t have a plot.”

Solomon’s remark, delivered in the second of the FCIC’s three hearings today, came amidst a much livelier debate from three finance experts not tied to the big supermarket banks or investment houses on the causes of the crisis. For more on that and the third hearing, check back here at the MoJo blog a bit later today.

 

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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