Washington

A federal judge in Alabama has ordered mediation in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s pay-to-play suit against two ex-JPMorgan bankers involved in Jefferson County sewer deals.

As the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board continues to gather information on bond ballot contributions and weigh its regulations on the topic, concerns about possible pay-to-play issues from the contributions are already finding their way into the public eye.

In penalizing corporate wrongdoers with fines, the justice system is missing a crucial component of what criminal law is supposed to be about. Criminal law is supposed to address wrongs against society.

Scranton disregarded pension laws in its payment of double benefits to 35 employees over the last 12 years at a cost of $2.9 million, said Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale.

State and private universities, local and state government agencies, and even the federal government have announced significant data breaches that compromised information and caused significant operational disruptions.

The Securities and Exchange Commission tried to refute criticisms of its controversial disclosure violations self-reporting program while providing some hints about its attitudes toward what violations are important to investors, lawyers said Monday.

Rhode Island asset manager Michael Riley has asked the SEC to examine the Providence, R.I., pension fund over a $62 million spike in its unfunded liability.

The Government Finance Officers Association is calling for changes in the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board's core conduct rule for municipal advisors to reduce the costs and burdens for issuers.

The House Appropriations Committee approved a fiscal 2016 bill Wednesday that would keep Securities and Exchange Commission funding consistent at the 2015 enacted level of $1.5 billion, about $222 million short of President Obama’s FY2016 request.

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced enforcement actions against 36 municipal underwriting firms Thursday for violations in muni bond offerings, fining them a total of about $9.3 million in settlements under the Municipalities Continuing Disclosure Cooperation initiative.