In recent years, banks (in particular banks that back the Republican party) have paid out billions to resolve Justice Department claims of gender, national origin, race and disability discrimination. It's another reason why Hispanics no longer vote Republican. Why vote Republican when the candidate is receiving most of their funding from discrimination defense lawyers and organizations who've paid millions to resolve such claims. Is their a problem with a system that allows banks to resolve such claims without admitting guilt?
Since 2010, banks have paid over $560 million to resolve claims of loan discrimination against Hispanic and African-American home buyers and businesses and in not one case did the bank go to trial.
It's hard to make an accurate estimate on what a jury would decide is the correct amount to pay if you never take the corporation to trial. Leaving the decision up to lawyers and judges is not how the system is supposed to work especially when individuals such as Aaron Swartz are being over prosecuted and taken to trial.
Top Department of Justice (DOJ) official and former Clinton counsel Larry Breuer is stepping down as he exposed himself as someone who was unwilling to prosecute banks. He is believed to be responsible for passing on criminal penalties against HSBC for laundering drug money and helping to finance terrorists. Breuer said he's
"losing sleep at night over worrying about what a lawsuit might result in at a large financial institution."
It's not just banks that are let off the hook, however. Hospitals that give poor quality care are rarely receive significant penalties but physicians are taken to court when insurance companies can pressure medical staff with impunity to take too many cases and spend less time with each patient as a result of a Republican backed Supreme court ruling that said insurance companies couldn't be prosecuted for pressuring physicians or providing inadequate resources.
