Thursday, August 7, 2008

Dennis Kucinich - We Did It!



Go get 'em, Dennis.

Catch you later.....
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Family says bank wouldn't cash check to bury son
The Associated Press
Article Launched: 07/30/2008 03:50:24 PM PDT


LOS ANGELES—A complaint was filed with federal regulators Wednesday against a savings and loan that refused to waive check-cashing procedures so a couple could pay for the funeral of their son who was killed in Afghanistan.
Downey Savings and Loan Association refused to immediately cash two federal bereavement checks totaling $100,000 when they were presented at its Hemet branch month by the parents of Navy hospitalman Marc Retmier, attorney Gloria Allred said at a news conference.

Allred said the bank wanted the family to wait more than a week while it verified the checks' authenticity—well after the planned date of the sailor's funeral.

Allred said she sent a letter of complaint Wednesday to John Reich, head of the federal Office of Thrift Supervision, asking for an immediate investigation into the incident. She also asked regulators to adopt new rules requiring all thrifts and savings and loans to immediately cash federal bereavement checks.

"It is shameful that parents of a child killed in action are treated by a regulated savings and loan as if they were potential 'criminals' by requiring that government-issued bereavement checks be held to verify the authenticity," Allred said.

Downey issued a statement Wednesday saying it sympathizes with the family but was forced to abide by its procedures. The bank said its "check hold policy conforms with federal banking regulations and industry practices."

Retmier, 19, of Hemet


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was killed June 18 in a rocket attack in the northern Paktika province. The next day, Joy and Steve Retmier were given two U.S. Treasury checks to use for defraying expenses, including the cost of their son's funeral, planned for June 25.
When they tried to deposit the checks on June 20, officials at the local branch of Downey Savings & Loan told them that the checks would be held until at least July 1 to verify their authenticity, Allred said.

The parents pleaded with a teller to contact the military to immediately verify the checks but she and the bank manager refused, Allred said. A military recruiter also made the request but was refused by someone at Downey's corporate offices, Allred said.

The next day the family found a credit union that deposited the checks and advanced $20,000 for the funeral, which was held June 25 in Corona del Mar, Allred said.

Still, the sailor's mother said Downey put her through unnecessary strife.

"They made me worry that I wouldn't be able to get the money to bury my son," Joy Retmier said in a statement.

"I feel my son is a hero. He fought for everyone to have freedom," she said. "What they did to me felt like a slap in the face."

THAT IS THE WAY TO TREAT OUR TROOPS. I AM GLAD US LIBERALS HAVE NO HONOR.

August 10, 2008 at 10:51 PM
GOPnot4me said...

What the story about the disgraceful treatment of the Retmier family has to do with anything "liberal" is beyond me.

As a veteran, I am appalled at their ordeal and cognizant of their sacrifice.

As I am familiar with Hemet, CA. and its plethora of banks and funeral homes (California's per capita leader in both!), I am not surprised that some minor functionary, overly devoted to rules and order, followed the procedures enacted into law at the behest of Big Banking's lobbyists and denied immediate access to funds. Read the disclosure statement from your bank, fer chrissakes!

Your comment has no honor.

Catch you later.....

August 12, 2008 at 2:33 AM

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