WATCH: Jon Stewart Blasts FIFA Hypocrisy: 'What if They Were Wall Street Bankers?'
Last night, Jon Stewart jumped on the FIFA-bashing bandwagon (after all, it’s universally accepted they’re corrupt, and for very good reason) but he also pointed out the DOJ’s glaring inconsistency when it comes to targeting money laundering, bribery and racketeering. All crimes that big banks across the globe, as well as insurance firms and mortgage companes, have been doing for years with virtual impunity. The AIGs of the world, as Stewart points out, only receive “factored in” fines while international soccer executives get arrested and threatened with long jail sentences.
The Daily Show host asks, “what would have happened to these FIFA scoundrels if they were bankers?” citing HSBC’s extensive money laundering, JP Morgan and others for manipulating foreign exchange rates, BNP Paribas laundering money for Iran — and this, of course, is a point in urgent need of making. None of those arrested on Tuesday by the Department of Justice were American, and some, namely Russian officials, are calling the arrests “politically motivated.” No doubt FIFA officials are sleazy, but what good does it do to target corruption if one swims right past the big fish to snag the dozens of tiny fish in their wake? Without excusing the toxic corruption at the heart of FIFA, it’s a certainly a question in need of asking.
Watch the video below:
