Matt Taibbi: 'Hands Down' Bush Was Tougher On Corporate America Than Obama (REALLY?)

[SunsetDreams]

The question was Who was tougher on corporate America, President Obama or President Bush?
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/matt-taibbi-bush-tougher-than-obama-corporate-america

MATT TAIBBI: Oh, Bush, hands down. And this is an important point to make, because if you go back to the early 2000s, think about all these high-profile cases: Adelphia, Enron, Tyco, WorldCom, Arthur Andersen. All of these companies were swept up by the Bush Justice Department. And what’s interesting about this is that you can see a progression. If you go back to the savings and loan crisis in the late '80s, which was an enormous fraud problem, but it paled in comparison to the subprime mortgage crisis, we put about 800 people in jail during—in the aftermath of that crisis. You fast-forward 10 or 15 years to the accounting scandals, like Enron and Adelphia and Tyco, we went after the heads of some of those companies. It wasn't as vigorous as the S&L prosecutions, but we at least did it. At least George Bush recognized the symbolic importance of showing ordinary Americans that justice is blind, right?

I guess these just are not good enough or err um high profile or whatever. I guess Obama has been so easy on Corporate America

Just this year alone...

Three Bridgestone Corp. Executives Indicted for Roles in Fixing Prices and Rigging Bids on Auto Parts Installed in U.S. Cars
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/April/14-at-386.html

CEO and Managing Partner of Wall Street Broker-Dealer Charged with Massive International Bribery Scheme
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/April/14-crm-381.html

Government Settles False Claims Act Allegations Against Kansas Cancer Treatment Facility and Its Owner
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/April/14-civ-378.html

Owner of Tax Return Preparation Franchise and Health Provider Business Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud, Healthcare Fraud and Money Laundering
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/April/14-tax-372.html

Brooklyn Fish Processors Ordered to Comply with Sanitation Remedies
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/April/14-civ-370.html

Former Vice President of Government Contracting Company Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bribery
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/April/14-crm-343.html

United States Announces $5.15 Billion Settlement of Litigation Against Subsidiaries of Anadarko Petroleum Corp. to Remedy Fraudulent Conveyance Designed to Evade Environmental Liabilities
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/April/14-dag-338.html

Seven Indicted in Florida in Mortgage Scheme
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/March/14-crm-324.html

Tonawanda Coke and Manager Sentenced for Violating the Clean Air Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/March/14-crm-288.html

North America’s Largest Acid Manufacturer and Its Subsidiaries Agree to Slash Emissions and Reduce Air Pollution
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/March/14-enrd-287.html

Justice Department Announces Criminal Charge Against Toyota Motor Corporation and Deferred Prosecution Agreement with $1.2 Billion Financial Penalty
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/March/14-ag-286.html

American Family Care Inc. to Pay $1.2 Million to Settle Allegations of Inflated Medicare Claims
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/March/14-civ-281.html

Straw Owner of Clinic Sentenced in Medicare Fraud Scheme
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/March/14-crm-280.html

Jury Convicts All Seven Defendants in $97 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/March/14-crm-261.html

Florida Hospital System Agrees to Pay the Government $85 Million to Settle Allegations of Improper Financial Relationships with Referring Physicians
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/March/14-civ-252.html

Pharmaceutical Company to Pay $27.6 Million to Settle Allegations Involving False Billings to Federal Health Care Programs
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/March/14-civ-251.html

Coal Companies and Subsidiaries to Spend Estimated $200 Million on Treatment and System-wide Upgrades to Reduce Water Pollution
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/March/14-enrd-228.html

Omnicare to Pay Government $4.19 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Kickbacks
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/February/14-civ-216.html

Diagnostic Imaging Group to Pay $15.5 Million for Allegedly Submitting False Claims to Federal and State Health Care Programs
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/February/14-civ-200.html

Government Files Enforcement Action Against Four California Companies and Six Individuals to Stop the Importation of Dangerous Children’s Products
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/February/14-civ-192.html

Endo Pharmaceuticals and Endo Health Solutions to Pay $192.7 Million to Resolve Criminal and Civil Liability Relating to Marketing of Prescription Drug Lidoderm for Unapproved Uses
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/February/14-civ-187.html

Government Intervenes in Lawsuit Against Tenet Healthcare Corp. and Georgia Hospital Owned by Health Management Associates Inc. Alleging Payment of Kickbacks
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/February/14-civ-176.html

Former Bank of America Executive Pleads Guilty for Role in Conspiracy and Fraud Involving Investment Contracts for Municipal Bonds Proceeds
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/February/14-at-137.html

Citgo Sentenced to Pay More Than $2 Million for Environmental Crimes at Corpus Christi, Texas, Refinery
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/February/

W.R. Grace Pays Over $63 Million Toward Cleanup and Restoration of Hazardous Waste Sites in Communities Across the Country
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/February/14-enrd-122.html

JPMorgan Chase to Pay $614 Million for Submitting False Claims for FHA-insured and VA-guaranteed Mortgage Loans
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/February/14-civ-120.html

Medicare Fraud Strike Force Set Record Numbers for Health Care Fraud Prosecutions(2013)
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/January/14-crm-082.html

Government Intervenes in Lawsuits Against Health Management Associates Inc. Hospital Chain Alleging Unnecessary Inpatient Admissions and Payment of Kickbacks
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/January/14-civ-037.html

Medical Device Manufacturer Charged With Major Securities Fraud Scheme
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/January/14-crm-013.html

2013 at a glance

Halliburton Agrees to Plead Guilty to Destruction of Evidence in Connection with Deepwater Horizon Tragedy
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/July/13-crm-850.html

United States Reaches an Agreement with XTO Energy to Prevent Waste Spills from Natural Gas Exploration and Production
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/July/13-enrd-810.html

Panasonic and Its Subsidiary Sanyo Agree to Plead Guilty in Separate Price-Fixing Conspiracies Involving Automotive Parts and Battery Cells
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/July/13-at-808.html

Former CEO and Former CFO of ArthroCare Corp. Charged with Orchestrating $400 Million Securities Fraud Scheme
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/July/13-crm-805.html

Shell Oil to Spend Over $115 Million to Reduce Harmful Air Pollution at Houston Area Refinery and Chemical Plant
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2013/July/13-enrd-775.html

2012 at random

Justice Department Sues National Tax Preparation Firm and Franchisees to Stop Alleged Pervasive Tax Fraud
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2012/March/12-tax-393.html

Greek Shipping Company Sentenced in New Orleans to Pay $2 Million for Intentional Cover-Up of Oil Pollution and Obstruction of Justice
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2012/March/12-enrd-378.html

Harbert Companies Agree to Pay $47 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2012/March/12-civ-341.html

BP Products North America to Improve Spill Response Preparedness at Oil Terminals Nationwide
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2012/September/12-enrd-1167.html

2011 at a glance

Hedge Fund Manager of A&O Entities Convicted in $100 Million Fraud Scheme
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/June/11-crm-765.html

U.S. Subsidiary of Belgian Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Pleads Guilty to Off-Label Promotion; Company to Pay More Than $34 Million
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/June/11-civ-751.html

Pfizer to Pay $14.5 Million for Illegal Marketing of Drug Detrol
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/October/11-civ-1389.html

Oracle Agrees to Pay U.S. $199.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Lawsuit
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/October/11-civ-1329.html

2010 at a glance..

Two Johnson & Johnson Subsidiaries to Pay Over $81 Million to Resolve Allegations of Off-Label Promotion of Topamax
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/April/10-civ-500.html

Medical Device Manufacturer Guidant Pleads Guilty for Not Reporting Defibrillator Safety Problems to FDA
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/April/10-civ-370.html

U.S. Settles Lawsuits Against Hewlett-Packard and Intervenes Against its Business Partners for Violating FCC Competitive Bidding Rules in Texas
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/November/10-civ-1284.html

2009 at a glance...

Nation’s Largest Nursing Home Pharmacy and Drug Manufacturer to Pay $112 Million to Settle False Claims Act Cases
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/November/09-civ-1186.html

Chevron to Pay U.S. More Than $45 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Claims for Royalties Underpayment
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/December/09-civ-1379.html

Oklahoma Hospital Group Pays U.S. $13 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/December/09-civ-1376.html

Duke Energy to Spend Approximately $93 Million to Resolve Clean Air Act Violations
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/December/09-enrd-1371.html

Largest Environmental Bankruptcy in U.S. History Will Result in Payment of $1.79 Billion Towards Environmental Cleanup & Restoration
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/December/09-enrd-1326.html

Much more DOJ action under Obama and Holder here:
http://www.justice.gov/briefing-room.html

[ucrdem]

1. Enron was a criminal operation that fell into bankruptcy

and took Arthur Anderson down with it. To claim they were "swept up by the Bush Justice Department" is inane offensive revisionism. Matt Taibbi is a neocon water carrier just like the rest of the swiftboaters on PayPal Pierre's new team.

[Cha]

6. THank you! I thought he was some lazy profiteering libertarian.. sucking

on the teat of Obama hate.

[cui bono]

24. Some people think the earth is only 6000 years old too.

[Enthusiast]

34. +1

Thank you.

[SunsetDreams]

11. No kidding

it's ludicrous!

[MADem]

18. +1,000 nt

[Cha]

42. Actually matt taibbi is some sucking profiteering libertarian a$$hole. No doubt.

[mimi85]

85. I thought I was the only one who felt that way.

And no, I'm not stalking you. Guess we just think alike in many areas. Only you express yourself better than I ever could!

[Cha]

89. Hey mimi.. I

know you're not, girl.. I have that happen too.. some days I end up replying to the same person a lot. And, I kinda of wonder what they must think about that!

And, I think you express yourself very well..

[mimi85]

92. Hey Cha

[Cha]

99. Backatcha~

[cthulu2016]

2. You are debunking a claim that was not made

If Taibbi had said there were no DOJ actions against corporations 2008-2014 then a list would be a counter argument.

I have no strong opinion about the truth of Taibbi's claim, and the list offered added nothing that would clarify my view

[Jamaal510]

3. Where do they

find these people?

[MADem]

19. He is an off-and-on hard core drug user who published a counterculture

magazine over in Pootie's World.

Really. Here, he describes himself as an "unmarried drug addict with bad teeth."

Not that there's any convergence, there, or anything....

Here's an old VF article that gives the lad all that groovy "counterculture" cool-kid vibe:

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/02/exile-201002


I think he tries much too hard.

His father, Mike, is a well known (and very respected) guy around Boston, and the kid has big shoes to fill--he's the W, not the Jeb, of his family, IMO. He thinks that "stunts" are a substitute for work. An attention-seeker on a good day, but he does know how to get that attention. Past a certain age, it looks worse than childish, though.

[Jamaal510]

20. OMG this is

the guy they just had on The Last Word tonight, wasn't it? He sounds like a nut!

[MADem]

23. IMO, he's a petulant little jerk whose father pulled himself up through

hard work and stick-to-it-iveness to be able to afford to provide this kid with all the advantages....and what did he do with that fancy Concord Academy education? Act like a nitwit. Go to Russia and 'play' the debauched little shitheel. Act like the world owes him a living.

Here's some classic Matt Taibbi:

When I first contacted Taibbi for this story, he replied unenthusiastically. “Ugh. No way I can talk you out of this, huh?” he e-mailed. “In the end nobody really wants to read about a couple of overgrown suburban teenagers writing about anal sex and the clap and then calling themselves revolutionaries when some third-world dictator gets bored of letting them stay published.”

He then fell out of touch, re-emerged a month later, and agreed to meet me for lunch at a Manhattan restaurant. I arrived late, and he was visibly annoyed. There was no boyish smile. “I just don’t see why you’re doing this story,” he said. When I told him that Ames was now living in New York he grew more agitated. I mentioned some of the Exile pieces of his I planned to write about, and he said, “That was covered in the book.” I told him yes, that was true, but the book had been published in 2000, and, frankly, I didn’t think it was very good.

“The book wasn’t good?” he said.

“No, I didn’t think so,” I said.

“My book?” he said.

“Yes, the Exile book. I thought it was redundant and discursive and you guys left out a lot of the good stuff you did,” I said.

At this, Taibbi’s mouth turned down and his eyes narrowed.

“Fuck you,” he snarled, and then picked up his mug from the table, threw his coffee at me, and stormed out.

The restaurant was packed with customers, and they all turned to watch as I sat there, stunned, coffee dripping from my face. The waiter arrived with the milkshake Taibbi had ordered. After wiping myself off a bit, I went outside, where Taibbi was putting on his coat, and asked him to calm down and come back into the restaurant. He walked up to me, glaring, beside himself with rage.

“Fuck you!” he yelled. “Did you bring me here to insult me? Who are you? What have you ever written? Fuck you!”

I tried to talk to him, but gave up when he walked away. I went back inside, paid the bill, left, and began walking up Sixth Avenue. Halfway up the block, I turned around, and Taibbi was behind me.

“Are you following me?,” I asked. He walked toward me, raising his arms as though preparing to throttle me or take a swing.

“I still haven’t decided what I’m going to do with you!” he said.

“Are you kidding?,” I asked....

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/02/exile-201002

He's not playing with a full deck.

[OKNancy]

35. He also used some questionable sources to smear Wes Clark

I'll never forget that. Taibbi just loved his Milosevic and hated Clark for his successful operation in Kosovo/Serbia

[MADem]

58. Well, accuracy in sourcing has often not been a strong suit with him.

I feel badly for his dad, who is a nose-to-the-ground, serious, hardworking guy. I mean, Taibbi is not the most common name going; up until Sonny Boy entered the fray, Mike was the only "Taibbi" in media near as I could tell. This 44 year old 'kid' is trashing the family name with his adolescent antics.

[Chathamization]

48. What I've read from The eXile has been pretty bad, with a cartain brand of expat arrogance

The "we're better than everyone in our host country" and "we're better than everyone back home attitude." War Nerd in particular is a terrible column, though every so often I'll find someone linking to it as an authoritative source.

[MADem]

59. A lot of it is just racist and sexist shit, too--the idea that being "degenerate" is hip or

something.

[MohRokTah]

55. What a dick.

Taibbi, not you.

[Whisp]

94. Matt's temperment sounds a bit familiar. n/t

[mimi85]

83. Thanks for the NNDB site!

I could get hung up there for hours. And probably will.

[Cha]

4. Oh matt taibbi has to make his money somehow.. ragging Pres Obama. thank you

SunsetDreams for listing all of this action that the Obama Admin has taken against corporate malfeasance. Good Job!

matt taibbi is lazy.

[cui bono]

25. Omg... "Matt Taibbi is lazy"

Yeah, sure... you keep telling yourself that.

You are too emotionally attached to a politician. Don't take it so personally, then you won't feel the need to have to slander excellent journalists and label them so you can put them in your little box of things you hate because they dared to say something about Obama that hurt your feelings.

[mimi85]

87. What a load of bullshit! Excellent journalist?

In what world would that be? Cha always has her eyes on the prize and is a huge asset to DU. I don't think her feelings have anything to do with Taibbi at all.

[Hoyt]

5. Obama has to do 2 or 3 times as much to be as "good" as bush.

[Cha]

10. bush was destroying America and Pres Obama is building it up.. on his own without

any help from republicons. However.. There's a lot of money out there to be made on Whining about Obama. Just got to find the right angle.."let's see.. oh I know.. bush was better on blah blah blah.. hands down.. blah blah blah "

[MindMover]

7. WOW, well put together and thank you for the truth ...

but, I think everyone wants to see more pictures like this ....

not really just another million dollar fine for people who juggle billions ....

in other words, we want our pound of flesh, Revenge baby, Revenge ....

""

[Cali_Democrat]

8. As the 2014 election approaches....

people will not only say that the Dems are the same as Republicans, but people posing as liberals will even say Republicans are better.

Beware.

Taibbi has written some good stuff in the past, but he has more recently been molded by Greenwald and the like.

I don't pay him much attention anymore. If you want to read about financial matters and economics, read Krugman.

[Jamaal510]

22. Speaking of which,

"people will not only say that the Dems are the same as Republicans, but people posing as liberals will even say Republicans are better."

I just encountered a poster on CrooksandLiars who claimed that Nixon was more liberal than Obama. If that crook Nixon is now considered to be a liberal, then I no longer want any part of that term.

[Drunken Irishman]

9. The dumbest fucking comment since Cenk Uygur said Obama was more conservative than Reagan...

Liberals can be fucking morons sometimes.

[Cha]

17. I'm thinking Taibbi is a fucking libertarian moron. cenk, taibbi and the rest make their $$$$$

off of the stupid. Look how many lap it up while calling facts "weak sauce".. lol

[mimi85]

88. Cenk is useless. Wonder how that Current TV deal worked out for him?

[freshwest]

12. Thank You!! Bookmarking until tomoorow. n/t

[OnyxCollie]

13. Weak sauce.

Add all those things up and see if it equals the $92.5 BILLION the banks have lost.

FDIC Agrees to Keep Silent on Settlements with Banks
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/20/headlines#3209

A new investigation says U.S. regulators have been quietly settling civil claims with banks whose failures triggered massive federal payouts and helped spur the financial meltdown. The Los Angeles Times reports the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has settled with the banks for a fraction of what their losses actually cost while agreeing not to publicize the deals to protect the banks’ public image. The FDIC has lost $92.5 billion in the failures of 471 U.S. banks since 2007. But the agency has collected just $787 million in settlements — a tiny fraction of its losses. While the settlements accuse the banks of fraud, negligence, reckless loans to homeowners, falsified documents and other abuses, they have been concealed from the public under nondisclosure deals some say border on illegal.

[MannyGoldstein]

14. Well, there's this...

[progressoid]

15. Well, that's easy to explain.

It's because financial institutions are so much more law abiding now that there aren't any crimes to prosecute!

[DeSwiss]

31. Manny!!!

- Damn you and your fancy-smancy FACTS!!!! You should know by now that you just can't go around using those things willy-nilly. People could get hurt. Ego's bruised. Allusions dashed. Besides, we have standards. They're low, but they're still standards.....

[DCBob]

46. Well that certainly disproves Taibbi's absurd claims.. hands down!

There was a much steeper drop in prosecutions during the Bush II admin than during the Obama admin.

[ProSense]

52. The anti-Obama folks are now trying to hype Bush.

[ProSense]

51. Well,

"Well, there's this...



..there are facts. Remember Glass-Steagall? It was repealed and that was followed by the law that created the Enron loophole in 2000, which is likely why prosecutions dropped from the 1999 highs to less than half the number.

Many of the immoral activities were crimes before the repeal of Glass-Steagall. I simply can't understand how people can acknowledge that repealing a law caused the problem, but not understand the the law was what made the activities illegal.

I've seen that chart many times before. http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002990749#post4

I'll repost the full comment here...

The chart shows that prosecutions started dropping after the repeal of Glass-Steagall, and it shows prosecutions, not convictions. It's also not conclusive because it doesn't state what specifically it includes and appears to be related to bank fraud. Here's the reference:

This category can refer to crimes committed both within and against banks. Defendants include bank executives who mislead regulators, mortgage brokers who falsify loan documents, and consumers who write bad checks. (Here are some recent cases of bank fraud prosecutions.)

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/prosecutions-for-bank-fraud-fall-sharply/

Goldman Sachs is not a bank. Still, even if it is bank fraud, it does offer more evidence of Bush's "abysmal" record, as these prosecutions dropped significantly during his Presidency.

The following is from the Financial Institution Fraud and Failure Reports for each fiscal year.



http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fiff_00-01




http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fiff-2002

(b): Types of Subjects Convicted in FIF Cases During FY 2007*
SUBJECT TYPE NUMBER OF SUBJECTS
Legal Alien 8
Illegal Alien 20
All Other Subjects 1,038
Bank Officer 88
Bank Employee 179
International or National Union Officer 1
President 1
Business Manager 2
Office Manager 2
Financial Secretary 1
Federal Employee - GS 12 & Below 1
State - All Others 1
Local Law Enforcement Officer 1
City Councilman 1
Possible Terrorist Member or Sympathizer 1
Company or Corporation 7
Local - All Others 2
Total 1,354

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fiff_06-07/fiff_06-07



http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fiff_06-07/fiff_06-07

Given yhe above charts and the break out for 2007, it appears that most of the convictions were not bank executives. In fact, the majority were bank "outsiders," likely meaning more bad-check writers and document falsifiers.

Also, bank fraud is separate from corporate fraud, mortgage fraud, and securities and commodities fraud.

The following is from the Financial Crimes Report to the Public for each fiscal year:
(Note: The 2005 report does not break out securities and commodities fraud. The 2010-2011 report is the only one that breaks out financial institution fraud. All reports show corporate fraud and mortgage fraud.)

Through Fiscal Year 2005, cases pursued by the FBI resulted in 497 indictments and 317 convictions of corporate criminals. Numerous cases are pending plea agreements and trials. From July 1, 2002 through March 31, 2005, accomplishments regarding Corporate Fraud cases were as follows: $2.2 billion in Restitutions, $34.6 million in Recoveries, $79.1 million in Fines, and $27.9 million in Seizures. As Corporate Fraud statistical accomplishments were not provided before July 1, 2002, the following statistical accomplishments are reflective of this time frame through Second Quarter, Fiscal Year 2005.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fcs_report2005/fcs_2005#CORPORATE

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fcs_report2005/fcs_2005#MORTGAGE

_________

During FY 2006, the FBI investigated 490 Corporate Fraud cases resulting in 171 indictments and 124 convictions of corporate criminals. Numerous cases are pending plea agreements and trials. The following notable statistical accomplishments are reflective in FY 2006 for Corporate Fraud: $1.2 billion in Restitutions, $41.5 million in Recoveries, $14.2 million in Fines, and $62.6 million in Seizures. The chart below is reflective of the number of pending cases from FY 2002 through FY 2006.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fcs_report2006

During FY 2006, the FBI investigated 1165 cases of Securities and Commodities fraud and recorded 302 indictments and 164 convictions. Many of these Securities Fraud cases are pending plea agreements or trials. The following notable statistical accomplishments are reflective in FY 2006 for Securities and Commodities Fraud: $1.9 billion in Restitutions, $20.6 million in Recoveries, $80.7 million in Fines, and $62.7 million in Seizures. The chart below is reflective of the number of pending cases from FY 2002 through FY 2006.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fcs_report2006/financial-crimes-report-to-the-public-fiscal-year-2006#Securities

Through FY 2006, 818 cases investigated by the FBI resulted in 263 indictments and 204 convictions of Mortgage Fraud criminals. The following notable statistical accomplishments are reflective in FY 2006 for Mortgage Fraud: $388.9 million in Restitutions, $1.4 million in Recoveries, and $231 million in Fines. The chart below is reflective of the number of pending cases from FY 2003 through FY 2006.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fcs_report2006/financial-crimes-report-to-the-public-fiscal-year-2006#Mortgage

___________

Through FY 2007, cases pursued by the FBI resulted in 183 indictments and 173 convictions of corporate criminals. Numerous cases are pending plea agreements and trials. During Fiscal Year 2007, the FBI secured $12.6 billion in restitution orders and $38.6 million in fines from corporate criminals. The chart below reflects corporate fraud pending cases from Fiscal Year 2003 through Fiscal Year 2007 as follows: Fiscal Year 2003 - 279 cases; Fiscal Year 2004 - 332; Fiscal Year 2005 - 423; Fiscal Year 2006 - 486; and Fiscal Year 2008 - 529 cases.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fcs_report2007/fcr_2007#corporate

As of the end of Fiscal Year 2007, the FBI was investigating 1,217 cases of securities and commodities fraud and had already recorded 320 indictments and 289 convictions. Additional notable accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2007 include: $1.7 billion in restitution orders; $24 million in recoveries; and $202.7 million in fines. The chart below reflects securities and commodities fraud pending cases from Fiscal Year 2003 through Fiscal Year 2007 as follows: Fiscal Year 2003 - 937 cases; Fiscal Year 2004 - 987cases; Fiscal Year 2005 - 1,139 cases; Fiscal Year 2006 - 1,165 cases; and Fiscal Year 2007 - 1,217 cases.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fcs_report2007/fcr_2007#securities

Through Fiscal Year 2007, 1,204 cases resulted in 321 indictments and 260 convictions of mortgage fraud criminals. The following notable statistical accomplishments are reflective in Fiscal Year 2007 for mortgage fraud: $595.9 million in restitutions, $21.8 million in recoveries, and $1.7 in fines. The chart below reflects mortgage fraud pending cases from Fiscal Year 2003 through Fiscal Year 2007 as follows: Fiscal Year 2003 - 436 cases; Fiscal Year 2004 - 534 cases; Fiscal Year 2005 - 721 cases; Fiscal Year 2006 - 818 cases; and Fiscal Year 2007 - 1,204 cases.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fcs_report2007/fcr_2007#mortgage

______________

Through FY 2008, cases pursued by the FBI resulted in 158 indictments and 132 convictions of corporate criminals. Numerous cases are pending plea agreements and trials. During FY 2008, the FBI secured $8.1 billion in restitution orders and $199 million in fines from corporate criminals. The chart below reflects corporate fraud pending cases from FY 2004 through FY 2008 as follows: FY 2004—332 cases; FY 2005—423; FY 2006—486; FY 2007—529; and FY 2008—545 cases.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fcs_report2008/financial-crimes-report-to-the-public#corporate

As of the end of FY 2008, the FBI was investigating 1,210 cases of securities and commodities fraud and had already recorded 357 indictments and 296 convictions. Additional notable accomplishments in FY 2008 include: $3.1 billion in restitution orders; $43.6 million in recoveries; $151.4 million in fines and $84.2 million in seizures. The chart below reflects securities and commodities fraud pending cases from FY 2004 through FY 2008 as follows: FY 2004—987cases; FY 2005—1,139 cases; FY 2006—1,165 cases; FY 2007—1,217 cases and FY 2008—1,210 cases.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fcs_report2008/financial-crimes-report-to-the-public#securities

Through FY 2008, 1,644 cases resulted in 560 indictments and 338 convictions of mortgage fraud criminals. The following notable statistical accomplishments are reflective in FY 2008 for mortgage fraud: $1.1 billion in restitutions, $3.3 million in recoveries, $3.1 million in fines, and 68 seizures valued at $476.7 million. The chart below reflects mortgage fraud pending cases from FY 2004 through FY 2008 as follows: FY 2004—534 cases; FY 2005—721 cases; FY 2006—818 cases; FY 2007—1,204 cases; and FY 2008—1,644 cases.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/fcs_report2008/financial-crimes-report-to-the-public#mortgage

____________

Through FY 2009, cases pursued by the FBI resulted in 153 indictments/informations and 156 convictions of corporate criminals. Numerous cases are pending plea agreements and trials. During FY 2009, the FBI secured $6.1 billion in restitution orders and $5.4 million in fines from corporate criminals. The chart below reflects corporate fraud pending cases from FY 2005 through FY 2009 as follows: FY 2005— 423 cases; FY 2006—486 cases; FY 2007—529 cases; FY 2008—545 cases; and FY 2009—592 cases.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/financial-crimes-report-2009/financial-crimes-report-2009

As of the end of FY 2009, the FBI was investigating 1,510 cases of securities and commodities fraud and had already recorded 412 indictments/informations and 306 convictions. Additional notable accomplishments in FY 2009 include: $8.1 billion in restitution orders; $63.4 million in recoveries; $12.8 million in fines; and $126 million in seizures. The chart below reflects securities and commodities fraud pending cases from FY 2005 through FY 2009 as follows: FY 2005—1,139 cases; FY 2006—1,165 cases; FY 2007—1,217 cases; FY 2008—1,210 cases; and FY 2009— 1,510 cases.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/financial-crimes-report-2009/financial-crimes-report-2009#securities

Through FY 2009, 2,794 cases resulted in 822 indictments and 494 convictions of mortgage fraud criminals. The following notable statistical accomplishments are reflective in FY 2009 for mortgage fraud: $2.5 billion in restitutions, $7.5 million in recoveries, and $58.4 million in fines; 128 seizures valued at $5.06 million and 226 criminal indicted assets valued at $510.1 million. The chart below reflects mortgage fraud pending cases from FY 2005 through FY 2009 as follows: FY 2005—721 cases; FY 2006—818 cases; FY 2007—1,204 cases; FY 2008—1,644 cases; and FY 2009—2,794 cases.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/financial-crimes-report-2009/financial-crimes-report-2009#mortgage

_____________

During FY 2011, cases pursued by the FBI resulted in 242 indictments/informations and 241 convictions of corporate criminals. Numerous cases are pending plea agreements and trials. During FY 2011, the FBI secured $2.4 billion in restitution orders and $16.1 million in fines from corporate criminals. The chart below reflects corporate fraud pending cases from FY 2007 through FY 2011.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/financial-crimes-report-2010-2011/financial-crimes-report-2010-2011#Corporate

As of the end of FY 2011, the FBI was investigating 1,846 cases of securities and commodities fraud and had recorded 520 indictments/informations and 394 convictions against this criminal threat. Additional notable accomplishments in FY 2011 include: $8.8 billion in restitution orders; $36 million in recoveries; $113 million in fines; and $751 million in forfeitures. The chart below reflects securities and commodities fraud pending cases from FY 2007 through FY 2011.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/financial-crimes-report-2010-2011/financial-crimes-report-2010-2011#Securities

During FY 2011, cases pursued by the FBI resulted in 521 informations and indictments, and 429 convictions of FIF criminals. The following are notable statistical accomplishments in FY 2011 for FIF: $1.38 billion in restitutions; $116.3 million in fines; and seizures valued at $15.7 million. The chart below reflects pending FIF cases from FY 2007 through FY 2011.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/financial-crimes-report-2010-2011/financial-crimes-report-2010-2011#Financial-ins

Through FY 2011, FBI investigations resulted in 1,223 informations and indictments and 1,082 convictions of mortgage fraud criminals. The following notable statistical accomplishments are reflective in FY 2011 for mortgage fraud: $1.38 billion in restitutions; $116.3 million in fines; seizures valued at $15.7 million; and $7.33 million in forfeitures.

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/financial-crimes-report-2010-2011/financial-crimes-report-2010-2011#Mortgage

Pending cases are important because they can still result in convictions.

The fact is that prosecutions that could go forward did.

President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force STRIKES AGAIN! $200 Million Fraud
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002844790

Former BofA Exec Indicted For Fraud
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002990749

Allen Stanford Convicted in Houston for Orchestrating $7 Billion Investment Fraud Scheme
http://www.stopfraud.gov/iso/opa/stopfraud/2012/12-crm-293.html

Former Chief Investment Officer of Stanford Financial Group Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice
http://www.stopfraud.gov/iso/opa/stopfraud/2012/12-crm-785.html

Former Corporate Chairman of Consulting Firm and Board Director Rajat Gupta Found Guilty of Insider Trading in Manhattan Federal Court
http://www.stopfraud.gov/iso/opa/stopfraud/NYS-120615.html

Hedge Fund Founder Raj Rajaratnam Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 11 Years in Prison for Insider Trading Crimes
http://www.stopfraud.gov/news/news-10132011.html

CEO and Head Trader of Bankrupt Sentinel Management Indicted in Chicago in Alleged $500 Million Fraud Scheme Prior to Firm’s 2007 Collapse
http://www.stopfraud.gov/iso/opa/stopfraud/ILN-120601.html

Yahoo! Executive and California Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager Plead Guilty in New York for Insider Trading
http://www.stopfraud.gov/iso/opa/stopfraud/NYS-120521.html

Three Former Financial Services Executives Convicted for Roles in Conspiracies Involving Investment Contracts for the Proceeds of Municipal Bonds
http://www.stopfraud.gov/iso/opa/stopfraud/2012/12-at-620.html

Former Chairman of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison and Ordered to Forfeit $38.5 Million
http://www.stopfraud.gov/news/news-06302011-2.html
http://www.stopfraud.gov/iso/opa/stopfraud/2012/12-crm-342.html

Former Chief Financial Officer of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme
http://www.stopfraud.gov/iso/opa/stopfraud/2012/12-crm-342.html

Seattle Investment Fund Founder Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Ponzi Scheme and Bankruptcy Fraud
http://www.stopfraud.gov/iso/opa/stopfraud/WAW-120210.html

Former Hedge Fund Managing Director Sentenced to 20 Years for Defrauding 900 Investors in $294 Million Scheme
http://www.stopfraud.gov/iso/opa/stopfraud/ILN-111117.html

Peter Madoff, Former Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Managing Director at Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, Pleads Guilty in New York to Securities Fraud and Tax Fraud Conspiracy
http://www.stopfraud.gov/iso/opa/stopfraud/NYS-1206291.html

Peter Madoff Is Sentenced to 10 Years for His Role in Fraud
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/12/20/peter-madoff-is-sentenced-to-10-years-for-his-role-in-fraud

[Whisp]

97. +++ thank you.

[Chathamization]

53. "This category can refer to crimes committed both within and against banks"

"Defendants include bank executives who mislead regulators, mortgage brokers who falsify loan documents, and consumers who write bad checks."

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/prosecutions-for-bank-fraud-fall-sharply/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

So if Bush went after more customers who wrote bad checks, we'd be able to say that he was tougher on corporate America than Obama?

[deutsey]

56. Looks to me like Bush started a trend

that Obama has maintained, only at a slower pace.

I think the age-old question "Cui bono?" applies here.

[MADem]

16. Is Taibbi taking a paycheck from the RNC, or his is judgment impaired for other reasons? nt

[Cha]

26. Matt Taibbi is taking a paycheck from Pierre Omidyar who employs other libertarians making

a buck off of Obama hate.. like Glenn Greenwald... blah blah blah..

"Pierre Omidyar co-funded Ukraine revolution groups with US government, documents show"

"US Agency for International Development (USAID) – played a major role in funding opposition groups prior to the revolution. Moreover, a large percentage of the rest of the funding to those same groups came from a US billionaire who has previously worked closely with US government agencies to further his own business interests. This was by no means a US-backed “coup,” but clear evidence shows that US investment was a force multiplier for many of the groups involved in overthrowing Yanukovych.

But that’s not the shocking part.

What’s shocking is the name of the billionaire who co-invested with the US government (or as Wheeler put it: the “dark deep force” acting on behalf of “Pax Americana”).

Step out of the shadows…. Wheeler’s boss, Pierre Omidyar.

http://pando.com/2014/02/28/pierre-omidyar-co-funded-ukraine-revolution-groups-with-us-government-documents-show/

File that under.. it's a small world.

taibbi's just showing off just how ignorantly down and stupid he can get with the rest of them.

[MADem]

27. Funny how there's so much nexus with all these guys and the old USSR...!

Taibbi needs a payday, I think. Throwing sperm pies or hot coffee at people and pitching fits just isn't endearing past the age of thirty, never mind forty...!

He could probably also do with a time out..!

[KittyWampus]

54. He is a performing monkey who needs to do his schtick on a semi-regular basis

earn money for his drug habit.

[MADem]

61. I think there may be something to that theory; MT's own assessment of himself

includes the phrase "drug addict with bad teeth" or words to that effect.

[cui bono]

21. Wow. Did you pm "everyone" as soon as you posted this?

Thread vultures!

Man, I really wish some people could not take this so personally so there could actually be a rational discussion instead of this team effort to discredit anyone who criticizes Obama with facts.

Second question, who appointed Wall Street to his administration?

[MADem]

29. WTF? No one "PM'd" me. Why would you use that as an argumentative technique?

I think you're out of line--and curiously defensive, too, just because not all of us are madly in love with your hero, here.

Look, some people know Matt Taibbi by his past work and reputation, and sorry to disabuse you, he's not all sunshine and lollipops and roses. He has an "uneven" career, one that hasn't followed a usual trajectory of youthful impertinence/craziness eventually tempered by seasoned maturity.

In middle age, he still can act like a childish asshole, and veracity isn't his strong suit. Neither is restraint.

It's not cool to make accusations like that just because the thread isn't going the way you think it should. It says more about you than perhaps you realize.

[cui bono]

75. Argumentative technique? Talk about "WTF?".

What on earth makes you perceive that as an argumentative technique? What an odd thing to say.

Talk about being defensive... I'm not being defensive. And btw... people can easily see the inane posts people make, so I don't have to worry about which way "the thread is going" when certain people jump in. You can read some of the posts yourself and if you can be objective you can see they don't make a certain viewpoint look very valid or reasoned.

The only reason anyone on DU has a problem with Taibbi is because he said something perceived as negative about Obama. We both know it. So does everybody else on here.

[MADem]

77. You were the one who MADE the argument--that's why I "perceived" it.

And you are being terribly defensive, lashing out at "certain people" and accusing them -- without evidence--of collusion, via PM, no less, just because they don't agree with you.

I think the reason people have "a problem with Taibbi" has to do with his quirky and drug addled behavior during and after his time at the eXile, his failure to check his facts on more than one occasion, his dramatic and childish stunts which included throwing a pie full of horse semen at one of his perceived "enemies," and his continued adolescent and attention seeking behavior.

This isn't a "young punk" anymore--he's a man, in his mid-forties, with the mindset and conduct of a querulous teenager. It's not "Gonzo"--it's "Stupid." Yet--since we're gonna go there--"certain people" follow this unreliable heroin addict like he's the Hipster Messiah.

Pro Tip: He's not.

[U4ikLefty]

80. Bingo!

[DeSwiss]

32. Who appointed the SEC Chair?

- Fair question, right?

[Dragonfli]

39. Don't expect a response any time soon, information on bad appointments are blocked transmissions

that fail to penetrate their reality tunnels

“Intelligence is the capacity to receive, decode and transmit information efficiently. Stupidity is blockage of this process at any point. Bigotry, ideologies etc. block the ability to receive; robotic reality-tunnels block the ability to decode or integrate new signals; censorship blocks transmission.”


― Robert Anton Wilson

[DeSwiss]

65. One of my fav Wilson quotes!

- Here's another:

''We live in our fantasies and endure our realities.'' ~Robert Anton Wilson

[Dragonfli]

67. I knew it would be, that's why I threw it out there for you.

and I felt it appropriate as the signal never does get through to that crowd regarding those pesky neo-liberal appointments they never discuss.

Surprise, but the quote you mentioned is also a favorite of mine! He actually used that during the informal talks he gave us at the Starwood neo-pagan festival/gathering in '93 (give or take a year - my memory for dates is only so reliable.)

I learned more during those few discussions than I have in most cases during a year of reading. It was so informal we were sitting in lawn chairs around a campfire in the woods drinking mead, he was one hell of a brilliant and funny guy to hang out with, knowledgeable on what appeared to be a nearly endless array of scientific fields, the privilege of my lifetime.

[Skittles]

37. put those idiots on ignore if you can't handle them, cui bono

I've left a few of them just for entertainment purposes

[Dragonfli]

41. About your second question, see post 39

[Cali_Democrat]

66. Anyone who disagrees with you is

a thread vulture...paid to post...PM'd by other DUers...blah blah blah....

Your shit is stale.

[SunsetDreams]

73. No I didn't PM anyone.

I did however do a check and the last PM I've had with anyone is October 2012.
"Everyone" I assume found the thread and posted just like you did.

[Enrique]

28. why did you stop your list at 2009?

is Obama so hard to defend that it can only be done with dumb tricks?

[Cha]

33. The OP is full of historical facts of the Obama Admin going after Corporate Malfeasance and all you

can come up with is a stupid question in a lame attempt to distract.

[Skittles]

38. CAREFUL or they will trot out THE LIST

which I'm sure is SIX YARDS LONG BY NOW

[ecstatic]

64. Why would you mock accomplishments

that are beneficial to millions of Americans, yourself included--accomplishments that would have never occurred under a repub administration? If someone trots out "THE LIST," so what? Shouldn't you save some of that venom for people/groups that are actively trying to harm you?

[Skittles]

69. it's not "mocking accomplishments"

it's mocking a silly list that often includes routine stuff

[Number23]

86. Well said. And that person's post speaks volumes

Apparently a "six yard long" list of the Democratic president's accomplishments is just too much for their delicate eyes to see. And since Obama became president in 2009, that other person's question asking why the OP's dates didn't start until 2009 is just bizarre.

[SunsetDreams]

72. 2008 Bush was President. That could be why. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

30. I have to disagree with Mr. Taibbi on this point.

I mean, Enron? Enron basically stole the California governor's office for the GOP, and tried to ram through a ridiculous redistricting power grab (get it?) in the process.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

36. It's an "accounting" thing. As in, not being held accountable....

As an example he also used the S&L crisis where over a thousand bankers went to jail.

He SHOULD have looked at the Great Depression where virtually NOBODY went to jail despite massive fraud and market manipulation and big banks squashing small banks for fun and profit.

The MAIN panic in the recent collapse was to save Capitalism itself. Many have been aware for some time the system will hit it's limits and they thought this was it. Kinda like "peak oil".

[newfie11]

40. Non of the links show the information for me?

[SunsetDreams]

74. I'm not sure what's going on,

they work for me.

[One of the 99]

44. I take anything Taibbi says with a huge grain of salt

ever since I read this article: http://prospect.org/article/errors-matt-taibbi

[m-lekktor]

47. I take anything Tim Fernholz says with a huge grain of salt

after I read THIS article : http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/12/11/fernholz-vs-taibbi/

[One of the 99]

90. Except the author, Felix Salmon

is an admitted fan or Taibbi and has an agenda. My point is you can't trust any reporter these days. They all have an agenda and let their bias cloud their reporting. They don't let the truth get in the way of their goals.

[B Calm]

45. I don't see where he went after Bain Capital. .

[ProSense]

49. Maybe

"Matt Taibbi: 'Hands Down' Bush Was Tougher On Corporate America Than Obama"

...he means the time Bush ignored the problem until the economy was at its breaking point, and then forced the government into having to bail out the banks.

Maybe it was when Bush triggered the mortgage crisis by gutting the Community Reivestment Act.

The evidence strongly suggests the latter. First, consider timing. CRA was enacted in 1977. The sub-prime lending at the heart of the current crisis exploded a full quarter century later. In the mid-1990s, new CRA regulations and a wave of mergers led to a flurry of CRA activity, but, as noted by the New America Foundation's Ellen Seidman (and by Harvard's Joint Center), that activity "largely came to an end by 2001." In late 2004, the Bush administration announced plans to sharply weaken CRA regulations, pulling small and mid-sized banks out from under the law's toughest standards. Yet sub-prime lending continued, and even intensified -- at the very time when activity under CRA had slowed and the law had weakened.

http://prospect.org/article/did-liberals-cause-sub-prime-crisis

As the housing bubble burst and the ensuing economic crisis gained steam, conservatives set about trying to find someone to blame for the meltdown of the mortgage market. First, it was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and then loans made to low-income people through the Community Reinvestment Act.

As The Wonk Room has noted, the problem was actually the Bush administration’s failure to regulate the mortgage markets, while financial institutions developed ever-more sophisticated instruments for securitizing mortgage debt and selling it around the world.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2008/12/01/172489/bush-warnings/

The Economic Consequences of Mr. Bush

by Joseph E. Stiglitz
December 2007

<...>

Whoever moves into the White House in January 2009 will face an unenviable set of economic circumstances. Extricating the country from Iraq will be the bloodier task, but putting America’s economic house in order will be wrenching and take years.

The most immediate challenge will be simply to get the economy’s metabolism back into the normal range. That will mean moving from a savings rate of zero (or less) to a more typical savings rate of, say, 4 percent. While such an increase would be good for the long-term health of America’s economy, the short-term consequences would be painful. Money saved is money not spent. If people don’t spend money, the economic engine stalls. If households curtail their spending quickly—as they may be forced to do as a result of the meltdown in the mortgage market—this could mean a recession; if done in a more measured way, it would still mean a protracted slowdown. The problems of foreclosure and bankruptcy posed by excessive household debt are likely to get worse before they get better. And the federal government is in a bind: any quick restoration of fiscal sanity will only aggravate both problems.

And in any case there’s more to be done. What is required is in some ways simple to describe: it amounts to ceasing our current behavior and doing exactly the opposite. It means not spending money that we don’t have, increasing taxes on the rich, reducing corporate welfare, strengthening the safety net for the less well off, and making greater investment in education, technology, and infrastructure.

<...>

Some portion of the damage done by the Bush administration could be rectified quickly. A large portion will take decades to fix—and that’s assuming the political will to do so exists both in the White House and in Congress. Think of the interest we are paying, year after year, on the almost $4 trillion of increased debt burden—even at 5 percent, that’s an annual payment of $200 billion, two Iraq wars a year forever. Think of the taxes that future governments will have to levy to repay even a fraction of the debt we have accumulated. And think of the widening divide between rich and poor in America, a phenomenon that goes beyond economics and speaks to the very future of the American Dream.

- more -

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/12/bush200712

Why can't Obama be more like Bush?

[MohRokTah]

50. There's big money in trashing Obama from the so-called left

They try to make you think they're liberal, but they're really libertarian and bear little resemblance to what is truly liberal.

[stevenleser]

57. Your title nailed it. If you do that, people who want to see that won't drill down into the details.

If you trash Obama from a supposed left perspective, people will forgive all kinds of lack of backup in your articles and proclaim you a hero.

[MADem]

62. We need to recognize it for what it is, and push back against that bullshit. nt

[JI7]

70. it does have a strong libertarian side to it because liberals/democrats are not going

to buy that crap.

the ones who hate obama are mostly wingnuts and libertarian assholes. so they appeal to them on things like snowden.

notice there isn't much from them on things like voting rights , minorities being targeted unfairly by cops etc.

[Cha]

79. that's what I've been saying.. Huge money in throwing out anything against the President

and hoping something sticks.. including the kitchen sink.

[spanone]

60. k&r...

[stevenleser]

63. kick nt

[Hutzpa]

68. Matt Taibbi has quickly turned into Fredo

"You're nothing to us now Fredo"

You sold out piece of shit.

[Marr]

71. It's actually embarrassing to watch the same old apologists reflexively tossing the same old

types of moronic, grade school insults here. It's like they're on autopilot. This is what they do to anyone who says anything that might somehow make Obama look bad. It's the sort of thing we used to mock when empty-headed Bushbots did it.

[cui bono]

76. They are on autopilot. And they're having a malfunction so they can't seem to stop posting

in this thread.

Taibbi is the latest on the chopping block. All hands on deck to smear him as a libertarian and whatever else they're calling him now.

[grasswire]

78. the attacks on Taibbi here...

....are even worse than those against Greenwald and Snowden.

Disgusting. Shameful. Obama's supporters of this ilk sure don't do him any favors.

[U4ikLefty]

81. We need a bigger bus.

Getting crowded under this one

[Enrique]

91. another similarity with the Bushbots

are the insinuations that criticisms of Obama mean that the critics love some foreign leader. For example Vladimir Putin.

[Marr]

96. Yep-- that's the one that jumps out at me as well.

This black and white, 'with us or against us' position. If you're not clapping, you must be the enemy.

[stevenleser]

93. Change Obama to Taibbi in your post and you have it right. nt

[Marr]

95. Surely you can do better than, "nuh-uh, YOU are".

[stevenleser]

98. The truth isn't always sophisticated. nt

[AverageJoe90]

82. Thank you, Mr. President! nt

[Number23]

84. Rec!