Rolling Stone | RS_News | July 18 2012

OPINION ~ Was on Viewpoint with the inimitable Eliot Spitzer last night and joined Dennis Kelleher from Better Markets in discussing some of the more upsetting recent revelations from the LIBOR banking scandal — including most notably the not-so-surprising revelation that Tim Geithner was apprised of the rate-rigging as far back as 2008.

Video: Will Banks Be Held Liable For Libor?

P.S. I advise everyone to check out the Godzilla-v.-Mothra death-battle between Spitzer and Maria Bartiromo from last Friday on her show on CNBC. Maria’s always been a little nuts, but this latest crusade to rewrite history and cleanse ex-AIG chief Hank Greenberg of culpability in a fraud scandal that at the time led to the biggest financial settlement ever paid is an absolute head-scratcher.

The confrontation between the two of them on air is epic. In it, Bartiromo blasts Spitzer for going after Greenberg and accuses him of only targeting Greenberg for personal reasons. Spitzer counters by asking her if she’s read a judge’s opinion ruling that Greenberg had participated in a conspiracy to defraud. “Have you read this opinion?” he asks

She hedges, pauses, and here’s the funny part: Clearly she hasn’t read it.

Spitzer asks her again, have you read the opinion? This time she decides to go all in, and immediately says she has read it. “I’ve read much more than I want to read on this case!” she shouts.

Spitzer then gets so hot that he appears to have a prosecutorial flashback on live TV, saying: “You are under oath right now. I’m going to be very serious with you!” He again demands that she answer the question: Was it not true that a judge ruled that Greenberg had committed fraud?

Humorously, Bartiromo explodes here and then retreats into the unfamiliar/uncomfortable territory of the truth: “I’m not under oath and I am not in your courtroom! You are on my television show!”

Crazy stuff — see for yourself: (Video) Facts Matter: Eliot Spitzer Refutes Maria Bartiroma

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