SEC's Report and Order Regarding Harrisburg
Hawkins Advisory
This edition of the Hawkins Advisory summarizes and analyzes the SEC’s Report and Order regarding Harrisburg and the potential securities law liability for public officials for oral and written public statements, and provides suggested guidance.
On May 6, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in an administrative proceeding,1 accepted a settlement offer made by the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (the “City”) and entered a cease-and-desist order (the “Order”) against the City. The SEC found that the City had acted in a reckless manner in violation of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. In the Order, no action was taken against City officials. The proceeding was accompanied, however, by a report of investigation (the “Report”) issued by the SEC pursuant to Section 21(a) of the Exchange Act in which the SEC addressed the obligations of public officials relating to their secondary market disclosures (i.e., disclosures made outside the context of an offering of municipal securities).
Attachment: [Hawkins Advisory]
Also of Interest
- SEC Staff Guidance Regarding Secondary Market Disclosure
This Advisory provides a summary and analysis of the recent Staff Legal Bulletin from the SEC’s Office of Municipal Securities. - Hawkins Attorneys to co-chair and moderate The Bond Buyer’s National Outlook 2020 Conference
Howard Zucker will be co-chairing the Bond Buyer's 2020 National Outlook Conference. This annual event brings together specialists and professionals from every corner of the public finance industry. - Carol McCoog Elected to the American College of Bond Counsel
Carol McCoog has been elected a Fellow of the American College of Bond Counsel (ACBC). - Hawkins Attorneys are part of NABL’s SEC Rule 15c2-12 Working Group
Brian Garzione, Carol McCoog and Kenneth Roberts were part of the National Association of Bond Lawyers working group, that released the paper titled “SEC Rule 15c2-12 Amendments NABL Member Questions and Practical Considerations”.