Petition to Stop Foreclosures, Hold Banks Accountable!

WEB ADDRESS: 
http://www.change.org/petitions/we-the-people-occupy-wall-street-99ers 

PETITION TO GOVERNOR BROWN – STOP THE FORECLOSURE- HOLD BANKS ACCOUNTABLE 

“WE THE PEOPLE” 

In California, foreclosures continue to batter homeowners, averaging out at 1,866 a day, 77 an hour each day the past 10 months, or 1.3 foreclosures per-minute. That’s surely on the minds of many Occupy Wall Street “99ers.” 

According to Shum Preston, spokesman for the California attorney general’s office, there was a recent “surge in foreclosures” between July and August bringing an additional 560,000 homes into the foreclosure process. 

Reportedly, “settlement negotiations” between the 50 state attorneys general and the nation’s five largest banks – Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Co., Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally Financial Inc., commenced in the fall of 2010, around abuses related to mortgage servicing and foreclosure  practices. 

During that time, the 50 state attorneys generals remained “occupied” in foreclosure-related settlement negotiations with the U.S. banks responsible for the housing market meltdown, while reportedly offering pennies on the dollar and requesting immunity from prosecution. Therefore, in light of the aforementioned facts and knowledge, 

“WE THE PEOPLE” (AKA) OCCUPY WALL STREET “99ERS” 
PETITION GOVERNOR EDMUND “JERRY” BROWN JR.TO DECLARE A “FINANCIAL STATE OF EMERGENCY”, AS AN INTERIM MEASURE TO STABILIZE THE “SURGE OF FORECLOSURES” IN CALIFORIA, TO ENSURE THE STATE’S FINANCIAL STABILITY, AND SUPPORT FOR THE STATE’S ATTORNEY GENERAL TO HOLD BANKS ACCOUNTABLE 

INTRODUCTION: 

In California, foreclosures continue to batter homeowners, averaging out at 1,866 a day, 77 an hour, each day for 10 months, or 1.3 foreclosures per-minute; therefore, 

“We the People”, identified as the undersigned petitioners, respectfully request that Governor Brown declare an immediate “Financial State of Emergency”; as a measure to stabilize a recent and dramatic surge in foreclosures in California and that he declare a moratorium on all pending and foreseeable foreclosures within the state; 

Such a moratorium should remain in place, until such time the banks involved in the settlement negotiations provide the state’s attorney general with a “deal” that the foreclosure victims “We the People” can live with; remaining in our homes. 

Furthermore, that the governor proceed with all haste to assist and support the State’s Attorney General Harris in an investigation of any alleged improprieties committed by the banks or bank representatives purportedly involved in the foreclosure crisis, and, thereupon to proceed with the appropriate legal action(s). 

“We the People” encourage Harris’ office to use the time spent. Over the course of the past 10-months, during costly stalled “settlement negotiations”, wherein, an additional 560,000 foreclosures occurred. This “surge in foreclosures”, reportedly prompted Harris to pull out of negotiations. 

Furthermore, the people respectfully request that Harris not enter into additional settlement negotiations with the U. S. Banks, in questions, on matters pertaining to alleged bank-induced homeowner foreclosures; and that no “deal” be discussed nor agreed too, until such time, it has been submitted to the public at large; and ample opportunity to read, review, comment and approval of any such settlement agreement pertaining to the foreclosure crisis is provided to the victims. 

Lastly, the Governor should consider suspending all further financial “dealings” or related business with said banks, including, the issuance and/or syndication of General Obligation bonds. Such a declaration should remain in effect, until a full accounting of the U. S. bankers’actions have been determined by the Office of the Attorney General, and, any and all of the appropriate reparations have been made to the victims of the bank-induced financial crisis. If appropriate, Governor Brown has the authority to invoke the letter and spirit of the Victim’s Bill of Rights California Constitution, Article 1, Section 28 (a) paragraph (4)); the court shall act promptly on such a request, (Cal. Const., art I, Section 28(c)(1). 

The Governor also has the authority to declare a Financial State of Emergency as provided for in Section 10(f) Article IV of the California Constitution. 

Both Governor Brown and former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger used their executive and constitutional powers to declare a Financial State of Emergency, resulting from the state’s annual budget crises. 

It appears to be in the state’s and the people’s best interest to request that the governor lend his full support and weight to assist Attorney General Harris in her investigation of the banks. Harris could use the time spent to date, and the knowledge gain by her office, to sort through all of the relevant facts to ascertain if there are sufficient grounds to file formal charges against U. S. banks involved in the foreclosure crisis, and, thereupon to proceed with the appropriate legal action(s).