$$$ Harbinger spokesman: “Phil Falcone is a strategic visionary with a record of success through all business cycles.” [Reuters]

$$$ Recession, Hamptons Style [DI]

$$$ Importer of ‘Smurfs’ takes plea in wacky $11.5 million Blackstone Group extortion case [NYP]

$$$ Rattner Discusses Management Changes At GM (via Martha’s Vineyard) [Bloomberg]

$$$ Lehman: Och-Ziff Knew of Stock ‘Short and Distort’ Efforts [WSJ]

$$$ Highfields co-founder/key-thrower Richard Grubman to retire [AR]

$$$ How To Survive A New Boss [FINS]

Article courtesy of Dealbreaker

$$$ “He was dismissed for being too successful in that role because the provisions in his contract were considered by the bank to be too generous.” [FT]

$$$ Chris Dodd’s Financial Reform Bill Is A Road Map Leading Directly Into The Next Crisis [BI]

$$$ Jack Grubman to Sell Townhouse for $19.6 Million [NYO]

$$$ Hedge Funds Fail When ‘Rock Stars’ Are In Charge [Bloomberg]

Article courtesy of Dealbreaker