Justice Department's Holder and Breuer Ties to Big Banks Revealed

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Justice Department's Holder and Breuer Ties to Big Banks Revealed

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... The firm, Covington & Burling, is one of Washington's biggest white shoe law firms. Law professors and other federal ethics experts said that federal conflict of interest rules required Holder and Breuer to recuse themselves from any Justice Department decisions relating to law firm clients they personally had done work for.Click to continue

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The Push For Fannie and Freddie Principal Reduction

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... Congressional Democrats are expected to continue pushing a federal housing regulator to write down mortgage principal for government-backed loans if a settlement with banks doesn't help out enough homeowners.

The federal government is "very close" to an agreement with mortgage servicers that could help about a million homeowners, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan said this week.Click to continue

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Some Details of the AGs and Servicers Settlement Emerge

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Some Details of the AGs and Servicers Settlement Emerge

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... In the deal, approximately $17 billion would be set aside for principal reductions, and $3 billion would be to cover the costs of refinancing for current, underwater borrowers.

The remaining $5 billion would be delivered in cash, $3.5 billion of which will help fund state and federal foreclosure mediation programs.Click to continue

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Light at the End of the Tunnel for Housing?

Light Tunnel/Credit: Stockbyte

... Is 2012 the year the housing market turns around? Of course, no one can say for sure, but plenty of economists say signals are pointing in the right direction.

"It has become increasingly apparent that the pieces for a housing rebound next year are beginning to fall into place," wrote Barclays Capital analyst Stephen Kim in a recent report. ...

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