Public Service

Weiss Research, Inc.
Chronology of Public Service Activities

For nearly four decades, Weiss Research has been an advocate for investors, dedicating substantial resources to Congressional testimony, constructive proposals for reforms in the securities industry, standards of practice for newsletter publishers, sound fiscal policy, as well as to charitable organizations.

April 2009

The National Center on Family Homelessness: Martin D. Weiss donates 100 percent of his present and future royalties earned on his new book, The Ultimate Depression Survival Guide, to the Campaign to End Child Homelessness, with the first donation ($100,000) made on April 17. Click here for joint press release.

March 2009

National Press Club: Weiss Research presents its white paper “Dangerous Unintended Consequences: How Banking Bailouts, Buyouts and Nationalization Can Only Prolong America’s Second Great Depression and Weaken Any Subsequent Recovery” by Martin D. Weiss, Ph.D.

October 2008

International Monetary Fund: Weiss Research submits its letter “Re: Global banking bailouts” by Martin D. Weiss, Ph.D. to Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

September 2008

U.S. Congress: Weiss Research submits its white paper “Proposed $700 Billion Bailout Is Too Little, Too Late to End the Debt Crisis; Too Much, Too Soon for the U.S. Bond Market” by Martin D. Weiss, Ph.D. and Michael D. Larson.

July 2007

Federal Reserve and FDIC: Weiss Research submits its white paper “How Federal Regulators, Lenders, and Wall Street Created America’s Housing Crisis — Nine Proposals for a Long-Term Recovery” by Michael D. Larson.

November 2004

Investors and nonprofit groups: Weiss launches the Sound Dollar Committee’s Investor Campaign for an Honest Budget.

October 2004

Financial Publishers: Weiss Research co-founds the Financial Publishers Association, devoted to enhancing and maintaining the financial publishing industry’s reputation for excellence while helping individual investors build their wealth.

March 2004

Investorside Research Conference: Weiss presents white paper “Stock Research for the Global Settlement: Qualitative or Quantitative Approaches?” In it, Weiss demonstrates the constructive role quantitative approaches can play in shielding the research process from bias and conflicts, proposing that regulators shed any prejudice they may have against such approaches. Click here

June 2003

U.S. Senate: Weiss submits testimony regarding medical malpractice caps, which, in turn, forms the primary basis of a presentation by Senator Kennedy on the Senate floor. Click here

May 2003

SEC and state regulators: Weiss provides a detailed analysis and comparison of overlapping rule-making initiatives by the SEC, state attorneys general, the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and the Global Settlement. Weiss proposes (1) a better centralization of the various initiatives under the SEC, (2) divestiture of investment banking from companies providing research analysis and recommendations, and (3) a better link between each analyst’s incentive compensation and his or her performance track record. Click here

March 2003

SEC: Weiss submits comments on NYSE and NASD proposed changes relating to exchange rules and to research analyst conflicts of interest, proposing the creation of a comprehensive stock ratings database made widely available to the public, enabling investors to compare the ratings and historical track records of research analysts and their firms. Click here

December 2002

SEC: Weiss submits public commentary proposing that nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) be required to operate without conflicts of interest in their business models, or failing to do so, to at least better disclose those conflicts. Click here

August 2002

SEC: Weiss submits industry commentary to the SEC regarding proposed rules on analyst certification. Weiss recommends that regulators address the sources and causes of the conflicts with more specific measures aimed at promoting a change in the structure of the investment banking and brokerage business. Click here

July 2002

U.S. Senate: Weiss provides a white paper on accounting reform, proposing that corporate financial statements be reviewed quarterly and that the record of each auditing firm’s warnings of future difficulties be tracked and disclosed to the public. The Senate e-mails highlights of the Weiss white paper to its members immediately prior to their vote on the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002, sponsored by Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD). Click here

June 2002

National Press Club: Weiss presents the white paper, "Crisis of Confidence on Wall Street," proposing ways to help investors make constructive, informed decisions in the selection of brokers. Click here

November 1999

Consumers: Weiss offers free advice to Medicare beneficiaries being dropped from their HMOs.

1999

Investors: Weiss Research’s Safe Money warns that a large percentage of corporate earnings reports are suspect of manipulation, offering investors instructions on how to avoid any adverse consequences. Click here

1994

GAO: Weiss is the primary contributor to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) study "BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD: Experiences of Weak Plans Underscore the Role of Effective Stage Oversight."

1994

Investors: Weiss Research’s Safe Money warns that stock research and ratings issued by Wall Street brokerage and investment banking firms are distorted by conflicts of interest, offering investors recommendations on how to acquire unbiased and objective information. Click here

February 1992

U.S. Senate: Dr. Weiss testifies before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs regarding the crisis of confidence in the insurance industry, proposing specific steps for overcoming the crisis.

May 1991

U.S. Senate: Dr. Weiss testifies before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation examining the fiscal solvency of the nation’s insurance industry. Click here