November 12, 2009 at 4:58 pm
The court acquittals of two ex-Bear Stearns hedge-fund managers on securities fraud charges is forcing prosecutors to re-examine other potential cases stemming from the Wall Street financial meltdown. Law Professor Tamar Frankel, an authority on securities law and author of “Trust and Honesty: America’s Business Culture at a Crossroad,” says the problem is larger than financial disclosure.
“It is a culture of gambling with other people’s money that we should focus on.”
Contact Tamar Frankel, 617-353-3773, tfrankel@bu.edu
November 12, 2009 at 2:15 pm
CNN news anchor Lou Dobbs caught even his staff offguard by announcing his abrupt resignation after becoming the cable network's most opinionated and divisive anchor. Journalism Professor Bob Zelnick, a long-time ABC News correspondent, says it's best for straight journalism that Dobbs step down.
"The world of journalism will be well-served if Lou Dobbs' retirement outlives his rehirement."
Contact Bob Zelnick, 617-353-5007, bzelnick@bu.edu
November 10, 2009 at 5:12 pm
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled a million childen's strollers made by the Maclaren USA company after reports that a side hinge had sliced off fingertips of a dozen children. School of Management Professor Michael Salinger, a former Federal Trade Commission director, says the issue of what the CPSC should be regulating is a hard question.
"It’s a small agency with a potentially huge mandate, so what is a cost-effective use of their resources is not obvious. The right answer depends in part on how effective product liability laws are in deterring companies from selling products that lop off little children’s fingers."
Contact Michael Salinger, 617-353-4408, salinger@bu.edu
November 10, 2009 at 6:00 am
Real-life hero of Hotel Rwanda Paul Rusesabagina will speak on his experience in Rwanda over the last 10 years, recounting his heroic achievements of sheltering over 1,200 refugees, an event honoring him and other MLK Fellows at the Tsai Performance Center (685 Commonwealth Avenue) at 6 PM. The event is free and open to the public.
November 9, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Bloomberg News reports on the history of Pfizer, the world's largest drug company, illegally promoting drugs for uses not approved by the FDA - even after being heavily fined for doing so. Law Professor Kevin Outterson, an expert on drug marketing and director of the BU School of Law's Health Law Program, says big pharma can afford to pay the fines for such transgressions.
"Drug companies are paying these fines so frequently that they begin to look like speeding tickets when you’re earning billions in profits."
Contact Kevin Outterson, 617-353-3103, mko@bu.edu
November 9, 2009 at 4:30 pm
The Los Angeles Times reports that a Democratic consultant was told by a White House official not to appear again on Fox News Channel, which the administration sees as a political opponent. College of Communication Professor Tobe Berkovitz, a political communication expert, says if that's true, then the White House doesn't seem to believe that the public is best served by a robust and open debate on the issues.
"I guess the mantra is, ‘Change you can believe in, only available on the TV networks, CNN, and of course MSNBC.'"
Contact Tobe Berkovitz, 617-921-0110, tobetv@bu.edu
November 9, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Palestinian President Abbas says he won't run for re-election, shaking U.S. efforts to promote a Middle East peace accord. Journalism Professor Bob Zelnick, a former ABC News correspondent and author of "Israeli Unilateralism: Beyond Gaza," says the "potentially tragic" turn of events is the product of President Obama's weak diplomacy and Israeli PM Netanyahu's goal of keeping as much of the West Bank as possible in Israeli hands.
"One would hope that the President is able to persuade Netanyahu to get off his high horse and Mahmud Abbas to climb down from his, reopening the possibility of substantive talks."
Contact Bob Zelnick, 617-353-5007, bzelnick@bu.edu
November 5, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Feds in New York now have charged 14 money managers, attorneys, and other investors with insider trading in a case stemming from the Galleon Group hedge fund which is roiling the hedge-fund world. Law Professor Elizabeth Nowicki, a former SEC attorney and Wall Street lawyer, says it's disappointing to see so many people who were trusted by investors allegedly betray that trust.
"Normally charges in an insider trading situation are hard to bring, and often the higher-level players avoid criminal charges because there are no smoking guns. In this case, the participants in the fraud were incredibly bold in their dealings with each other, such that the government has a good trail to use to bring charges."
Contact Elizabeth Nowicki, 617-353-2807, enowicki@bu.edu
November 5, 2009 at 2:21 pm
With some saying he's doing it only to show his independence from bank lobbyists while facing a tough re-election fight, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd is preparing a bill to radically revamp how the financial system is regulated. Nonetheless, Law Professor Cornelius Hurley, director of the Morin Center for Banking and Financial Law, says Dodd's idea of a single regulator for virtually all financial institutions "makes eminent good sense."
Contact Cornelius Hurley, 617-353-5427, ckhurley@bu.edu
November 4, 2009 at 12:17 pm
With a 53 pecent majority, Maine voters rejected that state's new gay-marriage law, meaning same-sex marriage has lost in all 31 states in which it has been put to a popular vote. Law Professor Robert Volk, an authority on the law and sexual minorities and advisor to the Law School's LGBT student group, called the vote disheartening.
"While the vote was close, the result shows that gay and lesbian Americans still have a lot of work to do before we can secure the rights enjoyed by other Americans."
Contact Robert Volk, 617-353-3156, rvolk@bu.edu
