Lawmakers call for change after 60 Minutes report
On Sunday, 60 Minutes aired a story in which hidden camera footage showed what happened when New York City attorneys were presented with a pitch to help move questionable funds into the U.S. Some, including a former president of the American Bar Association, offered off-the-cuff advice on how it could be done. Only one attorney flatly declined to help, and ended the meeting.
Several viewers watching compared it to something out of a drama series:
Less than 24 hours later, lawmakers in both the Senate and the House moved to act.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rep. Peter King (R-NY) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) announced they'll be introducing legislation to crack down on the creation of anonymous companies, sometimes used to launder money.
Beyond lawmakers, there were lawyers watching the broadcast -- some of whom were disappointed to find their colleagues in hot water:
Other viewers were bothered by 60 Minutes' use of hidden camera footage:
But ultimately, one viewer argued, none of the lawyers committed a crime:
Of course, attorney Jeffrey Herrmann didn't listen politely. He declined the offer with a wave of his hand and said, "This ain't for me." His response may have won him some new business: