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Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout

Location: Blogs Bob O'Brien's Sanity Check Blog    
Posted by:   bobo 6/16/2006 4:19 AM

Here's a pretty damned good article in a Pasadena, California newspaper, that I would encourage everyone to read and forward on to your favorite elected officials. Especially those on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

The author, Wayne Jett, is the person responsible for organizing the CFA round-table on naked short selling, which was abruptly canceled at the last minute by the CFA board.

Now, reading this, I see a clear, concise, factual articulation of the issues.

Makes me wonder why everyone seems to feel that those who recognize the looming problem in the markets are somehow unhinged. Or at least, that is the portrayal by the NY press - who are beholden to Wall Street for their daily bread. Could it be that the bad guys' influence fades the farther from Wall Street one gets - with some rare exceptions in San Diego and Marin?

Huh. Who would have thunk.

-----------

Speaking of compromised lackeys of Wall Street, CNBC had a panel discussion this morning, wherein the sentiment touted was that the Senate hearing next week is some sort of conspiracy against hedge funds, perpetrated by Patrick Byrne.

Nobody bothers to test the logic, of course.

It goes something like this: Bad old Patrick is somehow persecuting a $1.3 trillion dollar industry, whose top dogs make hundreds of millions or billions per year, as individuals. He is ostensibly doing this because he is a mean old rich guy.

Nobody bothers to point out that his worth pales in comparison to even a few of the guys he's supposed to be persecuting.

Instead, CNBC, who has been calling him a conspiracy kook (as has the rest of the NY press, in lockstep, obviously per Wall Street's agenda), is now credulously parroting and disseminating conspiracy theories of their own wherein his shadowy hand is somehow controlling events to persecute the poor, innocent billionaires.

All I can say is, do they really think we are that stupid? I was embarrassed listening to this pap. It's insulting. And frankly, that Gasparino was involved is disheartening.

But it is encouraging that CNBC, Cramer, Greenberg, and the rest of the whining apologists are inventing more conspiracy theories now than the flat earth society, Area 54 nuts, alien abductionists, grassy knoll theorists, and tri-lateral commission zealots combined.

It's profoundly amusing to hear the entrenched, privileged power structure that owns the market and the financial system whine because Congress is waking up to the fact that they have run amok, and are stealing the nation's savings.

Boo hoo hoo. Sniffle. Patrick is picking on us. Whaaaaaahh.

--------------

The Bunny will be hopping down the bunny trail starting today, for a week, going to undisclosed locations. You are free to use your imaginations to conjure up all sorts of lively scenarios. I won't be checking in much during this week, but will try to get on here and there. Please be civil, and feel free to post articles here in the comments section as they break - I suspect we will see a lot of them this week.

Copyright ©2006 Bob O'Brien
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Comments (29)
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By CMKXUPUPUP on 6/16/2006 7:11 AM
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http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=22453545

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NASD Complaint Letter 05-31-2006
http://www.cmkmtaskforce.com/nasdcomplaint.php

Friday Jun 2 2006 On CFRN - The Faulking Truth about CMKX and the Top 10 Reasons why every investor in America should be very, very, afraid.
Mark Faulk and Debi Kiontke
http://www.streetiq.com/dir/CFRN.shtml

Bud Burrell"s Interview on C h r i s t i a n F i n a n c i a l R a d i o N e t w o r k (CFRN)
CMKX 100 Billion OS
http://cfrn.net/thehundredbillionquestion.m3u

Current position that some companies still have in street shares held on deposit at the DTCC.
The Depository Trust Company One Time Security Position Report Position as of : 04/14/2006
Total 23,805,356,463
http://www.cmkxownersgroup.com/spr%204-14-06.pdf
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By embraceyourinnerhillbilly on 6/16/2006 7:25 AM
Bobo,

FYI,

Link to Pasdena Star-News doesn't work at this time (8:24 a.m. PDT). Tried to reach their site directly and couldn't get the page to load.
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By robelita on 6/17/2006 7:34 PM
From an RB board:

Senate Judiciary Committee will be examining short selling on June 28. Sen Orin Hatch says "Naked short selling is against the law, and we're concerned about it", Article appeared in the Chicago Tribune, today June 17, Page 8, Business Section.
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By Jeremiah 9:24 on 6/18/2006 11:46 AM
It appears that Mr. Cramer is getting ready to be thrown under the bus. Good riddance, of course, but it may be a sign of bigger things. Surely the piss ants know (I should not say that, media talking heads do seem to think they are more important than most) they are roadkill when the s*^t hits the fan? Cramer, Greenberg, Weiss, Remond, et al. Guys, you are nothing but disposable tools, useful idiots (especially in Cramer's case); when you are no longer needed you will be discarded. Perhaps we are seeing the start of the discarding....

Also, perhaps I am an optimist (after all, check out Jeremiah 9:24 if you have a Bible) but it could be that Congress is planning to actually do something about these crimes. Here is the perhaps wishful thinking. While Banking/Financial Services committees seem to be bought and paid for by Wall Street, everyone in D.C. who has really looked at this incredible mess has to know that it is a time bomb whose clock is running down. Think S&L times ten. Perhaps Banking can't do anything because of the bribes--I mean, contributions--from Wall Street, but Judiciary is a better option anyway since the SEC (ruled by Banking) is a toothless paper tiger against Wall Street--more of a pet kitten, really--and the Justice Dept. is most certainly not.

And of course, if Congress is going to rush in and "save the day," it is for certain they will want an audience for it. After all, why do anything to help your consituents and the entire investing public and our retirement investments and so on, unless they KNOW they are being helped and will assign you credit for it. Everyone needs to know there is a crisis, then you can pick up the votes for "solving" it. Cynical, yes, but if you have dealt with D.C. egos....

Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By clearthinker on 6/18/2006 10:42 PM
Blame the American public for the popularity of

Dr. Phil, Suze Orman, Jim Cramer, Herb Greenberg, Tony Robbins, all no down payment real estate gurus, all quick wieght loss diets, all instant get slim exercise machines...

Americans want quick fixes and have no patience for details...

But the devil's there, you say........
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By Sean on 6/16/2006 7:32 AM
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_3942526
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By yoda on 6/16/2006 7:32 AM
1.3 trillion dollars of the super rich scared by the easter bunny. They could not have anything to hide? haha
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By bobo on 6/16/2006 7:52 AM
Thanks. I fixed the link.
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By hwh on 6/16/2006 7:56 AM
They will sit on this until after the mid-terms unless the Dems can do an inventory & find enough clean hands to secure the House & or Senate by exposing it...hwh
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By Sean on 6/16/2006 8:18 AM
http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/060616/0136508.html
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By n-tres-ted on 6/16/2006 8:20 AM
NY Democrats rally behind Milberg Weiss (with some help from the Wall Street Journal):

http://snipurl.com/rvcp

An excerpt from the WSJ editorial:

Mr. Rangel was in full voice this week -- along with fellow New York Democrats Carolyn McCarthy and Gary Ackerman, as well as Florida's Robert Wexler -- about the injustice federal prosecutors had visited on plaintiffs' firm Milberg Weiss. The four released a statement lambasting Justice for going after the "entire" firm rather than just the partners accused of wrongdoing, claiming this could rob "average" citizens of Milberg's services. As Mr. Ackerman said: "I thought it was a bum deal to indict the entire firm. If you think someone did something wrong, go get him."
DOES ANYONE HAVE THE WITNESS LIST By SHORT SELLER on 6/16/2006 8:28 AM
Please ask Specter, Leigh and Hatch to post the witnesses
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By sealman on 6/16/2006 8:41 AM
Bunny, your work and blog posts over the past several months and in particular, the last few weeks has been most enlightening and encouraging. Several months ago, I was thinking perhaps we, as citizens, were pretty much at the mercy of the Wall Street criminals and government hackys. But due mostly to your blog posts and investigative heroics, I am now quite sure Wall Street capos and other co-conspiritors are on the run. You deserve a standing ovation and some time off for long hours and great reporting on behalf of the disenfranchised Joe Sixpack's. Enjoy Baja. The yellowtail and dorado are bitin from Loreto to La Paz.
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By hemingway811 on 6/16/2006 8:45 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on the short-selling activities of hedge funds and independent analysts, a subject that has generated headlines and lawsuits alleging collusion and market manipulation.
The Senate panel is still finalizing a list of witnesses, but Overstock.com Inc. Chief Executive Patrick Byrne wasn't invited and won't participate, according to congressional staffers.
The head of the Salt Lake City-based online discount retailer has sued hedge fund Rocker Partners and small stock-research firm Gradient Analytics Inc., alleging they colluded to have Gradient issue negative reports on companies that Rocker had sold short.
"Naked short-selling is against the law, and we're concerned about it," a spokesman for Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a Judiciary Committee member, told Dow Jones.
Rocker is now known as Copper River Management, whose general counsel, Steven Tsimbinos, declined to comment on whether someone from the Millburn, N.J., firm would testify to the Senate panel next week.
Gradient, of Scottsdale, Ariz., has been approached informally about participating but won't decide until it receives a written invitation, according to spokeswoman Karen Hinton.
Hedge-fund trade groups have been invited and at least one is expected to attend. Managed Funds Association President John Gaine said someone from the group will testify, and the Coalition of Private Investment Companies offered to send its managing director Andrew Lowenthal.
John O'Quinn, the Houston, Texas, lawyer who has filed class-action lawsuits targeting naked short sales, was invited but can't attend, a spokeswoman said. Economist Rob Shapiro, a Commerce Department undersecretary during the Clinton administration, said the Senate panel approached him but hasn't confirmed whether he is on the witness list. Shapiro, who is chairman of Sonecon LLC, a Washington, D.C., economic advisery firm, and a paid consultant to O'Quinn, said that if he testifies, "my testimony will be on the systemic nature of naked shorts."
Short sellers borrow shares for sale and profit if the stock price declines. While the practice is legal, Byrne has been vocal in attacking "naked" short sales in which sellers don't borrow shares before selling, which he says may have destroyed hundreds of small companies while enriching hedge funds and Wall Street bankers.
U.S. securities regulators updated short-selling rules in 2004, but critics, such as Byrne, say they haven't been effective in cracking down on abusive short sales.
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By old duffer on 6/16/2006 8:57 AM
Oh,oh, is one of the mighty about to get his? Some of the ole gang starting to worry about who they lunch with?

Crame better watch the corner for incoming.


http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?dist=newsfinder&siteid=google&guid=%7B64DF646D-950F-4B84-AF2D-057BA9467678%7D&keyword=
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By oldfeller on 6/16/2006 9:21 AM
Think Wall Street is worried? Don`t count on it. They are just getting started. We ain`t seen nothing yet. Let`s see what they can do with swap futures in the years ahead.

http://www.cbot.com/cbot/pub/cont_detail/0,3206,1036+38933,00.html
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By dave on 6/16/2006 9:48 AM
Sorry if this is already posted:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/3975729.html

We're starting to get mainstream news coverage for some reason.
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By CMKXRULES on 6/16/2006 9:55 AM
JON FRIEDMAN'S MEDIA WEB

Jim Cramer has become an embarrassment
Commentary: He has crossed the line from harmless entertainer

By Jon Friedman, MarketWatch
Last Update: 12:01 AM ET Jun 16, 2006
http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?dist=newsfinder&siteid=google&guid=%7B64DF646D-950F-4B84-AF2D-057BA9467678%7D&keyword=&print=true&dist=printTop


LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- CNBC's Jim Cramer has finally crossed the line from harmless entertainer to public embarrassment.
This man seriously needs a reality check.
It pains me to write this because I like and respect Cramer. I have no ancient grudge against the man.
Once, Cramer was a welcome relief from the standard television business news reports. He was bombastic, God knows, but his deep knowledge of the stock market could cover up for his shtick. It included loud buzzers, bells and, of course, the sounds of bulls, when Cramer felt bullish, as well as other eccentricities.
But he has gone too far.
I caught his act -- and that's exactly what his daily program "Mad Money" has degenerated into -- the other day. He was in the midst of a rant against the new Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.
Within seconds, Cramer was carrying on to the point where an uninitiated viewer might fear that he would have a heart attack on camera. But experienced Cramer-watchers know this is simply cornball Jim doing his thing.
Disconcerting
What I found disconcerting was when Cramer pulled out a box of Uncle Ben's rice and made a mockery of the Fed -- which, natch, was the whole idea. Still, this prop seemed to be way over the line.
Yes, Cramer's schmaltzy use of bells and whistles and the like is silly and goofy -- but, as I see it, ultimately harmless. On a good day, it can seem like good fun. But the bit with the rice box was preening gone amok because he so blatantly exploited Bernanke -- as if the Fed chairman existed solely to be a player on Cramer's show.
CNBC must hate this kind of griping. To the network, Cramer is nothing less than a godsend.
CNBC has faced pressure to keep its core viewers and find a way -- any way -- to attract eyeballs after the close of the stock market at 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Its primetime record is abysmal, epitomized by the likes of tennis star John McEnroe. His talk/variety show on CNBC was one of the biggest high-profile flops in modern cable TV history.
Cramer's show is on so often, in fact, that it seems to run on a film loop. CNBC is desperate to achieve any sort of a buzz with critics and audiences. The notion that a nondescript, balding (not that there is anything wrong with that, mind you), opinionated, bellowing Wall Street refugee could somehow get people excited about the stock market probably came as much of a surprise to the CNBC executives as to the rest of us.
General Electric (GE
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Sponsored by:

GE ) , CNBC's parent, is also ecstatic. Media critics have suggested over the years that GE might eventually have no choice but to merge CNBC and MSNBC, its flagship cable news operations, as a way to save money.
MSNBC has been a disappointment to the parent corporation, which prides itself on maintaining a top-three position in all of its businesses, whether the venture is selling toasters or manufacturing systems for defense electronics.
The news channel installed Dan Abrams, the host of "The Abrams Report on MSNBC and a legal correspondent, to supervise the underachieving entity. He replaced Rick Kaplan, who had previously run CNN. NBC News had expected Kaplan to re-energize MSNBC, but the network continued to languish far beyond Fox News and CNN (TWX
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TWX ) .
Pizzazz
CNBC needed someone like Cramer to give the network some pizzazz, for sure. After all, think about it: How many days can viewers stand to see their favorite stocks falling?
After the Internet bubble burst in 2000, some viewers (illogically) blamed CNBC for their woes, saying the network contributed to the illusory run-up by endlessly broadcasting the virtues of tech-stocks investments.
So when Cramer came along and injected both a strong personality and an equities expertise, the ratings soared and CNBC had accomplished a slam-dunk victory.
Cramer, too, flourished. He took to his role as Howard ("I'm as mad as hell and I'm NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANY MORE!") Beale meets Warren Buffett, like he was born for it.
At first, I thought he was doing a lot of good for the investing audience as well. Cramer hit on a formula to demystify the stock market and make it understandable and even fun. I even wrote a column in this space a year ago, to that effect. So, understand that, in no way, am I a quixotic Cramer-basher or a CNBC-basher.
It will be interesting to see how this situation plays itself out. Right now, everyone appears to be winning, despite my protests. Cramer has become a household name -- a Louis Rukeyser on steroids. CNBC is getting what it wants -- lots of publicity and an anchor in the off-stock market hours. Plus, the viewers are amused and, with any luck, well informed about the nuances of the investing world.
The only one who loses here is me -- because I think Cramer has become a caricature of himself. I hope he changes my mind soon, but I won't hold my breath.
MEDIA WEB QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you think Jim Cramer has crossed the boundary from harmless fun to buffoonery?
FRIDAY STORY OF THE WEEK: "Chandlers Demand Breakup of Tribune" by Joseph Menn (Los Angeles Times, June 15). Move over "Dallas." Move over, "Dynasty." This is the media biz's version of a primetime soap opera of ego, money, power, legacy and vanity. As long as none of us is remotely involved in the wackiness, it should be a lot of fun to follow -- from a safe distance.
A READER RESPONDS to my column about Conde Nast's business magazine, Portfolio, which will debut next year: "I think Portfolio will succeed. The three incumbents (BW, Fortune, Forbes) all seem to think that the role of a weekly business magazine is to break news. But the half-life of business news is now measured in minutes as it breaks globally across the internet. And all three have steadily shortened article length, even for features, to the point where much of their analysis (which a weekly CAN do) feels to me breathless and a tad superficial. If Portfolio can cover business with 'the writing of The New Yorker plus the production values and photography of Vanity Fair,' it'll be a must-read. Plus, it's Conde Nast. If they can't sell ads, who can? That said, I expect a VERY different ad mix than in the Big Three." John Voelcker
(Media Web is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The column will next appear on June 21)
Jon Friedman is a senior columnist for MarketWatch in New York.


Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By CMKXRULES on 6/16/2006 10:07 AM
Jim Cramer's Mad Money: The Imminent Collapse of the Jim Cramer Show: Issue # 528

By Dr. Mark Skousen, Chairman, Investment U

I predict the Jim Cramer show will bite the dust…

I ran into an exec at CNBC last week, and asked him about Jim Cramer’s Mad Money show. Cramer gets so excited that he could collapse from exhaustion at any time. I asked, “Do you think he'll last another five years?" “Oh, less than that!” he confided.

If you are like me, you can take only so much of Jim Cramer and the Cramer Effect. (I personally can’t watch his show for more than five minutes before getting a headache.) This wild man of CNBC is a walking disaster, who willy-nilly makes speculators millionaires one day and bankrupts them the next.

I’ve never seen anything like it in my 40 years on Wall Street. I’m surprised the government hasn’t shut him down. A good company with solid earnings can crash in a day if Cramer pushes the “sell, sell, sell” button, or a lousy company with no earnings can skyrocket if Cramer hits the “bull” horn on the screen.

Madness, you say? Boo-yah! This pied piper is not only mad, he’s an egomaniac. Harvard Law School must be terribly embarrassed by its most outlandish graduate. As a colleague on Wall Street, I certainly am...

In short, Cramer has taken Wall Street down a drunken road ever since the refined and eloquent Louis Rukeyser sadly left the scene. Lou, come back and save us from this crazy bobble-head!

What's Wrong With Jim Cramer?

Why would I oppose the likes of a Jim Cramer on CNBC? What’s wrong with a little entertainment? Plenty. We here at Investment U aim to help you become better investors yourself. In each issue, we preach against relying on one financial guru for your investment decisions, or following the latest hot tip. Too many naïve investors are hooked on the likes of Cramer and his dog-and-pony show.

Instead, we urge you to become educated, and make your own investment decisions. This is fundamental. We recommend that you read the best books and attend the best conferences to learn everything there is to know about the business of investing.

One of my favorite financial books is J. Paul Getty’s How to Be Rich. (Note: The title is distinct from Donald Trump’s ramshackle How to Get Rich). Getty’s book is an educational powerhouse of business and investment wisdom from cover to cover. He must have had Mad Money in mind when he wrote years ago in his must-read chapter “The Wall Street Investor"...

"...Get-rich-schemes just don’t work. If they did, then everyone on the face of the earth would be a millionaire. This holds true for stock market dealings as it does for any other form of business activity.

Don’t misunderstand me. It is possible to make money – and a great deal of money – in the stock market. But it can’t be done overnight or by haphazard buying and selling. Thus big profits go to the intelligent, careful and patient investor, not to the reckless and overeager speculator.

The seasoned investor buys his stocks when they are priced low, holds them for the long-pull rise and takes in-between dips and slumps in his stride."

Let me tell you something: Jim Cramer is no J. Paul Getty.

As many of you know, for the past 26 years I’ve been making predictions in my newsletter. Well, I have a forecast for all you crazy Cramer fans out there. The Terror of Wall Street is about to run out of gas. Everybody is talking about it. He works up such a sweat that people are wondering when he’s going to collapse and end his show for good.

First of all, I don't want to be crass, or wish anyone any ill will, but this madness has got to stop sometime – for his own good and for the good of all investors.

Anyone who has watched his show knows that Cramer goes ballistic during his 10-minute “lightning round,” when listeners eager for a hot tip call in and Cramer gives a 10-second summary of the stock. During this crazy segment, his blood pressure goes through the roof.

I predict Jim Cramer will soon run out of gas and collapse in exhaustion during a future “lightning round." This gives new meaning to the word D-Day.

May Jim Cramer recover and repent of his wicked ways!

Good investing,

Mark

Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By SENATE POSTPONED HEARING on 6/16/2006 11:41 AM
Too many crybabies must have gotton to the committe. They were afraid the Bunny would show! http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=1953
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By Wicked World on 6/16/2006 11:57 AM
Yep.

3 days ago I said this:

“I mean no disrespect to anyone when saying this but it's premature to start high-fivin' or even breathing a sigh of relief. Based on history this meeting could be called off with one or two phone calls by any number of slimeballs.”

BobO replied:

“Wicked: I completely agree - no high fives, but if they call it off, then there is an explanation that needs to be floated, pronto - "Wall Street called and said don't you dare" won't cut it. I suggest everyone email their officials and get them behind this - it is the next S&L crisis, on steroids.

Killing it at this point would cause more havoc than letting it go forward - every single member would be tarred and feathered by their adversaries in the upcoming election - with our help - for facilitating a cover-up. I don't see that being appealing now.”

Now we have:

http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=1953

Crooks win again??
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By Sean on 6/16/2006 2:27 PM
Senate Hearing Postponed

http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=1953

"POSTPONED--Examining Short Selling Activities of Hedge Funds and Independent Analysts "
Senate Judiciary Committee
Full Committee


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DATE: June 20, 2006
TIME: 02:00 PM
ROOM: SD-226
OFFICIAL HEARING NOTICE / WITNESS LIST:


June 16, 2006




NOTICE OF FULL COMMITTEE HEARING POSTPONEMENT


The hearing on "Examining Short Selling Activities of Hedge Funds and Independent Analysts" scheduled by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary for Tuesday, June 20, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. in the Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226 has been postponed.

By order of the Chairman



TESTIMONY

MEMBER STATEMENTS

Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By Wicked World on 6/16/2006 2:33 PM
It has been posted in the other thread that a Judy Cline has chimed in with an explanation of the postponement.

Who is Judy Cline?
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By ginger on 6/16/2006 3:25 PM
Who is Judy Cline? ... She is very active in the Market Reform Movement.

http://www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/s72303/jcline110603.txt

*** Re-Scheduled *** By InTheKnow on 6/16/2006 5:37 PM
Senate Panel to Scrutinize Hedge Fund Sales
UPDATED - Friday June 16, 2006 8:03pm


Washington (AP) - The Senate Judiciary Committee will be examining the short-selling activities of hedge funds and independent analysts, a subject that has generated headlines and lawsuits alleging collusion and market manipulation.A hearing by the Senate panel has been scheduled for June 28.

The committee is still finalizing a list of witnesses, but Overstock.com Inc. Chief Executive Patrick Byrne wasn't invited and won't participate, according to congressional aides.

The head of the Salt Lake City-based online discount retailer has sued hedge fund Rocker Partners and small stock-research firm Gradient Analytics Inc., alleging they colluded to have Gradient issue negative reports on companies that Rocker had sold short.

"Naked short-selling is against the law, and we're concerned about it," a spokesman for Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a Judiciary Committee member, told Dow Jones.



Rocker is now known as Copper River Management, whose general counsel, Steven Tsimbinos, declined to comment on whether someone from the Millburn, N.J., firm would testify to the Senate panel next week.

Gradient, of Scottsdale, Ariz., has been approached informally about participating but won't decide until it receives a written invitation, according to spokeswoman Karen Hinton.

Short sellers borrow shares for sale and profit if the stock price declines. While the practice is legal, Byrne has been vocal in attacking "naked" short sales in which sellers don't borrow shares before selling, which he says may have destroyed hundreds of small companies while enriching hedge funds and Wall Street bankers.

U.S. securities regulators updated short-selling rules in 2004, but critics, such as Byrne, say they haven't been effective in cracking down on abusive short sales.





Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press.
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0606/336971.htm
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By bbhindyou on 6/16/2006 7:04 PM
The topic of how how Utah or any other state has to wait on the panels findings to start enforcing it's laws isn't on the agenda is it?
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By FEAR THE BUNNY on 6/16/2006 8:49 PM
I guess the announced NOTICE OF FULL COMMITTEE HEARING POSTPONEMENT is to buy time for the crooks to prepare their lies and the Senators to extract more campaign contributions from them. I think that is called blackmail unless a Senator is involved, then it is called good business?
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By what can they say on 6/17/2006 3:18 AM
we cannot protect the investors,, The OFFSHORE hedge funds are more important?
This Fraud is on Life support.
Re: Great article out today; CNBC discusses conspiracy against hedge funds; Bunny Man goes walkabout By When Kramer Stomped on the subpoena on 6/17/2006 5:23 AM
When Kramer heaved the subpoena on the floor and stomped on it..That should tell you what kind of man he is!..Isnt that just like burning the American Flag!!??
These people need to be stopped

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