Reuters reported how Fed Nominee Randall Quarles personally profited from public subsidies while working at The Carlyle Group, a politically connected private equity underwriter. Carlyle's Boston Private received $150 million in TARP funding while the FDIC recapitalized BankUnited so four PEUs could make huge profits.
Those investments earned hundreds of millions of dollars for Carlyle, profits that would not have been possible without government support.Carlyle completed its highly profitable exit of BankUnited in March 2014. Three months later Quarles left Carlyle to start The Cynosure Group.
"Profiting in the markets isn't a scarlet letter in this Congress."Carlyle's profits came not from trading in public markets. They came courtesy of public subsidies. Quarles oversaw both investments while at Carlyle. Carlyle exited Boston Private in July 2013.
Quarles will be President Trump's latest PEU appointment, capable of steering the Fed ship in a way that profits his former peers. Once upon a time that might have been a concern. Today it's a badge of honor for both the Red and Blue political teams (who jointly love PEU).
Update 7-16-17: Denver Post raised concerns about Quarles appointment.
Update 11-30-17: The latest nothingburger is the Fed dropping enforcement action against an Atlanta area bank that recently had Quarles for an investor.
Update 12-1-19: Quarles continues loosening bank regulations from the inside the Fed, something he desired while working for Carlyle. NYT article stated "Other Democrats in Washington breathed a sigh of relief, at least privately. Mr. Quarles was expected to ease the rules without setting fire to the regulatory house" Politicians Red and Blue love PEU.
