Defense attorneys and former federal law-enforcement officials talked about the pressure on Congress to create new criminal laws and on the executive branch to prosecute and convict people in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis and subsequent economic turmoil. They argued that a rush to judgment generating new criminal laws and enforcement authorities would be unwarranted and counter-productive. They judged that the poor economic judgment displayed was not criminal and the existing laws cover any incidental accompanying crimes. The detrimental effects of over-reaction after the Enron scandal were cited.

Brian Walsh hosted this event at the Heritage Foundation.