Tampabay-

Rep. Darren Soto, D-Orlando and state Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywoold, have asked U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to intervene in the investigation of the forced resignations of two foreclosure attornesy by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.

[TAMPABAY.COM]

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Tallahassee–

“I have 1,100 employees. I have trusted management in my office and the one common denominator with the people that I have hired, they’re tough former prosecutors,” Bondi said. “The only directive I’ve ever given to any employees of my office is to go after the bad guys with everything you’ve got.”

She said she trusted the judgment of three top staff aides who recommended forcing Clarkson and Edwards out. But Bondi said she was troubled by lack of documentation in personnel files and wanted an outside investigation to clear up any misgivings and make recommendations for avoiding such allegations in the future.

[TALLAHASSEE]

OS–

Earlier this year, the Florida Attorney General’s Office was in the midst of a pull-no-punches investigation into foreclosure fraud.

Investigators were exposing rampant abuses. They’d netted a $2 million settlement from one company. And they were gunning for more.

But then in May, two things happened:

First, the “special counsel” to Attorney General Pam Bondi left to take a high-level job with one of the very companies the office was investigating.

One week later, the investigators were forced out of their jobs, told late on a Friday afternoon that they had 90 minutes to decide whether to resign or be fired.

[ORLANDO SENTINEL]

Palm Beach Post–

An Orlando lawmaker wants two former state foreclosure investigators reinstated if performance evaluations he has requested reflect high rankings for the duo.

Democratic Rep. Darren Soto sent a public records request Wednesday to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, asking for evaluations and documents related to the forced resignations of Theresa Edwards and June Clarkson.

The two former assistant attorneys general had been the lead investigators on the state’s foreclosure fraud cases, but were abruptly told in May to resign or they would be fired.

[PAM BEACH POST]

Progress Florida–

Friends,

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi seems to think her first duty is to protect some of Gov. Scott’s biggest corporate pals – the banks – instead of hard working Floridians. Recently Bondi fired Florida’s two leading attorneys investigating the epidemic of foreclosure fraud ravaging our communities.

The attorneys investigating foreclosure fraud said they were forced out. Join me and sign this petition calling for an immediate investigation: http://www.progressflorida.org/bondi

June Clarkson and Theresa Edwards were tasked by then-Attorney General Bill McCollum last year to investigate allegations of widespread fraud taking place in foreclosures occurring around the state. They did their jobs well…perhaps too well for Pam Bondi.

The investigation by Clarkson and Edwards produced a blockbuster presentation entitled “Unfair, Deceptive and Unconscionable Acts in Foreclosure Cases. ” The presentation demonstrated numerous outrageous examples of blatant fraud and deception by banks and law firms initiating foreclosures known as “foreclosure mills.” Clarkson and Edward’s work was so effective it was used in other states in prosecuting foreclosure fraud . Then in May, despite a recent glowing performance evaluation, both attorneys were suddenly told by a supervisor to immediately step down or be fired.

Sign the petition calling for an investigation of Attorney General Bondi’s actions:

http://www.progressflorida.org/bondi

Thank you for your help.

July 27, 2011

Pam Bondi, Attorney General

Office of Attorney General
State of Florida
The Capitol PL-01
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050

Re – Public Records Request for Documents Related to Termination of Theresa Edwards and June Clarkson

Dear Madam General,

It has come to my attention that two assistant attorney generals, Theresa Edwards and June Clarkson, were recently terminated by your office for poor performance. However, public records indicate that these terminations occurred while they were in the midst of successful mortgage fraud litigation and in spite of prior successful reviews. As a member who represents an area ravaged by foreclosure fraud, these terminations present an overwhelming public concern.

REQUEST IS HEREBY MADE pursuant to Public Records Act, Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes that your office provides me with any and all records related to job performance of Theresa Edwards and June Clarkson within the past 3 years. Please also provide a list of all case numbers for all currently active cases managed by Theresa Edwards and June Clarkson for your office as well as the amounts of any settlements occurring within the past 3 years in any cases managed by Theresa Edwards or June Clarkson along with corresponding case number.

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact my office. Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Darren M. Soto

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If you look at campaign contributions to Bondi, a certain address comes up a lot: 601 Riverside Avenue in Jacksonville. It’s the home of Lender Processing Services, its subsidiaries, and the company it recently spun off from, Fidelity National Financial.

WUSF-

Attorney General Pam Bondi is fighting back against allegations two of her foreclosure fraud investigators were forced to resign because of political pressure.

The two lawyers helped expose robo-signing and helped shut down so-called “foreclosure mills.”

They were forced to resign in May or be fired. A statement from Attorney General Pam Bondi issued Thursday says they were forced out because of poor performance, while the two women suggest political pressure did them in.

Continue reading [WUSF]

We all should be extremely grateful to these two courageous women. They both were the ones who made the power point titled “Unfair, Deceptive and Unconscionable Acts in Foreclosure Cases,” demonstrating the massive fraud that went viral.

From Palm Beach Post-

A lead foreclosure fraud investigator for the state said she and a colleague were forced to resign from the Florida attorney general’s office, unexpectedly ending their nearly yearlong pursuit to hold law firms and banks accountable.

Former Assistant Attorney General Theresa Edwards and colleague June Clarkson had been investigating the state’s so-called “foreclosure mills,” uncovering evidence of legal malpractice that also implicated banks and loan serv­icers.

Despite positive performance evaluations, Edwards said the two were told during a meeting with their supervisor in late May to give up their jobs voluntarily or be let go. Edwards said no reason was given for the move.

[PALM BEACH POST]

Before heading to the article below, maybe you’d read a few tidbits in the following depo…

FULL DEPOSITION OF FLORIDA DEFAULT LAW GROUP MANAGING PARTNER RONALD WOLFE

TBO.com

TAMPA —

The attorney general’s office has fired Erin Cullaro, an assistant Florida attorney general reprimanded last year for moonlighting for a “foreclosure mill.”

The termination follows a second reprimand in March from Gov. Rick Scott’s office, which questioned variations of her signature on legal documents.

The signature that was used to notarize affidavits of “reasonable attorney fees” is not the same signature she was commissioned to use, according to a letter from Scott’s office.

If you recall just recent, there was a class action announced against both LPS and Ben-Ezra alleging fee-splitting.

Via: Palm Beach Post

The Florida attorney general’s office issued subpoenas to two South Florida foreclosure law firms regarding business done with Lender Processing Services and LPS Default Solutions’ “Strategic Partnership Group.”

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DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
FOURTH DISTRICT
January Term 2011
STATE OF FLORIDA,
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,
Appellant,
v.
SHAPIRO & FISHMAN, LLP,
Appellee.
No. 4D10-4526
[April 27, 2011]

Excerpt:

At oral argument, the Attorney General conceded it had decided to proceed exclusively under this one particular statutory provision. It could have proceeded under another statutory provision, such as a criminal investigative subpoena if other relevant criteria were satisfied, which would not require the subpoena to qualify as connected to “trade or commerce” under FDUTPA. This was exclusively the choice of the state.

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BLOOMBERG

Oklahoma Plan

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt is seeking an alternative settlement with banks that respects “the appropriate role of attorneys general,” his office said in a statement today. The settlement could be a model for other states, Pruitt said.

BLOOMBERG– David McLaughlin and Prashant Gopal

Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens said he has “significant concerns” about a proposal to reduce loan balances for some homeowners as part of a settlement of a nationwide foreclosure probe, joining at least seven other states that have criticized such a plan.

A deal with the top mortgage servicers in the U.S. that includes writedowns could encourage homeowners who are current on their loans to stop making payments, Olens, a Republican, said today in a telephone interview.

“You’re declaring in advance who the winners and losers are,” Olens said. “I’m a little concerned that this process disengages the normal market forces.”

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Today Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a first-of-its-kind settlement against attorney Marshall C. Watson and his law firm, one of the largest foreclosure firms in Florida, for alleged improprieties in the prosecution of foreclosure cases throughout Florida. This settlement, which calls for a $2 million payment and imposition of certain requirements to conduct business, is the first stemming from numerous investigations into Florida foreclosure law firms.

“We are aggressively investigating these law firms in order to protect the interests of everyone involved in foreclosure proceedings. Homeowners, lending institutions and the courts deserve to know that the law is being followed and all documentation is true and accurate,” stated Attorney General Pam Bondi. “Anything short of total assurance of complete accuracy during such serious situations is unacceptable.”

Florida led the nation in the investigation of law firms engaged in the improper production and filing of foreclosure documents. The Marshall Watson firm fully cooperated with the investigation since its inception. Half of the $2 million payment from Marshall Watson’s firm to the Attorney General’s Office will be contributed to the Florida Bar Foundation to continue the Florida Attorney General Mortgage Foreclosure Grant Program. This grant program provides for the funding of Legal Aid attorney positions throughout Florida specifically devoted to the representation of low-income individuals facing foreclosure actions.

The investigations into the practices of several other Florida law firms are ongoing. To access the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance, please click here: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/SKNS-8FAHED/$file/WatsonAVC.pdf

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Florida’s Sen. Joe Negron is obviously in the dark! According to the Palm Beach Post

Negron also objected to Palmer using the term “foreclosure mills” when referring to South Florida law firms specializing in foreclosures, some of which are now being sued or under investigation for alleged fraud.

“In most occupations, whether it’s making doughnuts or running a sporting goods store, having more volume is better than having less volume. It may, in fact, be a commentary on your capability and your competitive advantage rather than something that we should disparage,” Negron said. “Foreclosure mill could also be called very busy law firm because you provide excellent service to your clients.”

Perhaps a better comparison would have been a puppy mill. Wouldn’t you agree it’s about quality, not quantity?

[image credit: Flickr]

By Robert Schmidt and Tom Schoenberg

(Updates with excerpt from letter in fourth paragraph.)

March 22 (Bloomberg) — Four more Republican state attorneys general are opposing a plan to resolve a nationwide probe of foreclosure and mortgage-servicing practices because the terms may foster a “moral hazard.”

In a letter today to Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat who has taken the lead in the investigation, the officials objected to new documentation requirements and principal reductions outlined in the proposed settlement submitted to the country’s top mortgage-servicing companies this month.

The case file cited below relates to a civil — not a criminal — investigation. The existence of an investigation does not constitute proof of any violation of law.

By Kimberly Miller Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 7:11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011
Posted: 7:09 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011

The Florida attorney general’s office has confirmed the names of three law firms added to its foreclosure investigation, including Kahane & Associates, which handles hundreds of home repossessions in Palm Beach County.

The Plantation-based company, as well as the Tampa firms of Daniel C. Consuegra, and Albertelli Legal received letters of inquiry in December from the Economic Crimes Division of the attorney general’s office.

All of the firms are part of mortgage giant Fannie Mae’s retained attorney network in Florida. Consuegra was just added to the list in November following Fannie Mae’s decision to stop using the Law Offices of David J. Stern, which is also under investigation.

The Dec. 2 letter to the three firms says the attorney general has opened a preliminary investigation regarding complaints the state has received of “unfair, deceptive and unconscionable practices” in how defaulted mortgages have been handled.

Investigators give the firms 45 days to hand over all consumer complaints received in a two-year period beginning in April 2008, employee directions as to the handling of foreclosures, and correspondence regarding remedies taken to assure proper methods are being followed in filing foreclosures.

OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL

Economic Crimes Division

UNFAIR, DECEPTIVE AND UNCONSCIONABLE ACTS IN FORECLOSURE CASES

By: June M. Clarkson, Theresa B. Edwards
and Rene D. Harrod

Continue below to the excellent presentation…

46278738 Florida Attorney General Fraudclosure Report Unfair Deceptive and Unconscionable Acts in Foreclosu… by DinSFLA on Scribd