Opening Bell: 11.04.09

ken-lewis-21.jpgBofA’s Legal Counsel Had No Legal Authority In Merrill Deal (NYP)
Brian Moynihan was named general counsel on Dec. 10, 2008, but was not technically allowed to offer crucial legal advice until more than a week later, when he re-activated his status with the Massachusetts Bar Association. Oops! “This is another fact that leads me to believe there could be something rotten in the cotton,” Representative Edolphus Towns told The Post.
Societe Generale Q3 profit more than doubles (Forbes)
SocGen said in a statement Wednesday that it made a net profit of euro426 million ($627 million) in the July to September period, compared with euro183 million a year earlier.
In Tax Case, 4 Days Saves Robertson $27 Million (WSJ)
Apparently this an important issue for the billionaire, which is troubling: “The stakes were high for Mr. Robertson. If he could prove he spent half of that 366-day year outside of New York City, often at his estate in the wealthy Long Island suburb of Locust Valley, he wouldn’t have to pay the tax. And it was an all-or-nothing case, worth $27 million, an amount important enough to the hedge-fund manager that he and his staff spent hours and developed a complicated calendar system to track his whereabouts.”

Raj Rajaratnam Said to Keep Personal Investments in Sri Lanka
(Bloomberg)
Raj-Raj’s direct interests and stakes on the island held through Galleon won’t be affected by the liquidation of the hedge-fund firm following criminal and civil probes.
‘Osama’ Funding Appeals as U.S. Independent Filmmakers Hurt (Bloomberg)
“Look, I mean if Osama bin Laden gave me money to film I’d take it,” he said in a phone interview from Singapore. “It’s always difficult for a filmmaker and particularly in these economically troubled times.”
Hedge Fund Counsel to Lead SEC’s New York Examinations Group (WSJ)
Norm Champ ran the compliance office for Chilton Investment Co. for the last decade. Also, he’s a professor and a “thinker”: “Norm brings to our inspection program an unusual diversity of experience — as general counsel of a multibillion-dollar hedge fund complex, as a university lecturer, and as a policy thinker,” said George S. Canellos, director of the SEC’s New York office.

Comments (25)

  1. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 8:02 AM

    Jon Corzine for CEO of Bank of America!

  2. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 8:08 AM

    @1
    Makes more sense than Krawcheck.
    I did however hear that Mark Klein, M.D. is also available.

  3. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 8:20 AM

    What’s this, Bess? Dropping pal, Chazza, for newfound friend, Timbo? Drinks at Elaine’s not good enough anymore?
    http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2009/11/curious-meeting-at-treasury-department.html
    “Curious Meeting at Treasury Department
    The Treasury invited a small group of bloggers for a “discussion” with senior officials on Monday.”

  4. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 8:23 AM
  5. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 8:41 AM

    Just guessing here, but:
    1. Dealbreaker does exclusives only;
    2. Dealbreaker does not meet with mere “senior officials;” and
    3. Dealbreaker will not “check all strap-ons at the door.”

  6. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 8:53 AM

    No election results stories? I guess politics has no impact on the world of finance…

  7. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 8:54 AM

    Can’t believe we don’t have a headline this morning about GS gracious inclusion of Warren Buffett in the proposed purchase of tax credits from Fannie???? Does this make this proposed sale more politically correct? Another PR trial balloon from our one term President?

  8. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 8:57 AM

    OT but Moe T. @ nymag published a nice (brief) interview with CG last night. This crowd would have fun with it, in particular with his rundown of pre-crisis financial CEOs.
    Just sayin’.

  9. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 8:59 AM

    @6 yes it has an impact. see #1. you know what they say, for every door that shuts, there’s a new one opening.

  10. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 8:59 AM

    @6 spare us your early morning self-righteousness. you do realize that more stories come after opening bell, right?

  11. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 9:05 AM

    @10 – Did I bring up a sore subject? Best to sulk in silence. Don’t worry, it’s not about Obama, just about all his policies that have this economy on the floor.
    Don Peebles is the best they can put on Squawk Box after the administration got spanked? Too easy…
    -6

  12. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 9:08 AM

    @11 can you read? my pt was that db will likely mention something about election results at some pt in the next 8 hrs. also, squawk box is a production put on by cnbc, not db.

  13. Posted by InfiniteGuest | November 4, 2009 at 9:17 AM

    @6, close elections are nice, obviously, but it’s also marginally cheaper to re-elect the incumbent.

  14. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 9:17 AM

    @11 Ah, the sarcastic zinger. Please, more. It’s self-indicting.
    My point, too repeat, is simply that with the significant number of morning stories re the election, it’s curious DB does not reference those. I am happy to wait…
    Also, where did I ever mention SBox controlled by DBreaker? So “they” is now “DBreaker”?

  15. Posted by NakedShort | November 4, 2009 at 9:33 AM

    @Politics People. I still havent figured out why Breaking Media hasnt launched a Politics blog/tabloid site.

  16. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 9:35 AM

    I was buggered last night by a sheila with a strap on. Crikey.

  17. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 9:38 AM

    @15/NS… That’s been a crowded field for quite some time. Capitol hill is a zoo that never stops producing tabloid material, but after the Washingtonienne everyone learned to keep quiet about it

  18. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 9:44 AM

    @16 tell us more.

  19. Posted by NakedShort | November 4, 2009 at 9:45 AM

    @17 Well fuck, back to the drawing board.

  20. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 9:48 AM

    @ NS. I would imagine it’s because it would turn into Drudge with comments. Rather hideous. Plus, probably too much competition already.

  21. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 9:50 AM

    Since BofA plans to rely on the “advice of counsel” defense to charges of improper nondisclosure, it would seem troubling if during the relevant period they lacked chief counsel with actual authority to give this advice. Maybe they refer to outside counsel for this defense.

  22. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 10:32 AM

    Did he really say “something rotten in the cotton”??

  23. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 10:40 AM

    Politico and Gawker are just too dominant in that sphere.

  24. Posted by guest | November 4, 2009 at 11:01 AM

    If there were no naked derivatives, there would probably be very few hedge funds.
    With the appointment of hedge-fund counsel Norm Champ to SEC’s NY Exam Group, and with Mary Schapiro and Larry Sommers still in Washington, everyone should be confident that derivatives and dark pools will experience no meaningful reform of any kind, anytime soon.
    Hedge funds will proliferate, derivatives & dark pools will expand and get deeper, salaries and bonuses will escalate, and the next bubble will move closer to Main Street.
    Goldman Sachs and Jesus! WTF?
    The Guy from Delaware

  25. Posted by Chaffed By It All | November 4, 2009 at 1:12 PM

    Slogan for the times…
    Save your dignity, Cold cock a banker!

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