Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
_____________________
No. 08A1096
_____________________
v.
STATEMENT
<http://www.financialstability.gov/docs/AIFP/AIFP_guidelines.pdf>.
two loans from TARP funds, totaling more than $4 billion, which it
stake. The terms of the agreement set June 15, 2009, as the
deadline for the transaction to close; after that date, Fiat has
the option to withdraw from the agreement and abandon the transac-
tion.
hearing, may use, sell, or lease, other than in the ordinary course
court entered an order approving the sale (Appl. App. 19a-67a) and
1
As of the date it filed for bankruptcy, Chrysler owed
approximately $6.9 billion to creditors under an Amended and
Restated First Lien Credit Agreement. The creditors have a
security interest in, and a first lien on, substantially all of
Chrysler’s assets. Applicants hold approximately $42 million of
this first-priority secured debt. App., infra, 11.
6
extensive efforts that have been expended in the last two years to
id. at 18-19.
The court further observed that “[t]he Debtors are receiving fair
value for the assets being sold,” and that “[n]ot one penny of the
Lenders,” id. at 18, who include the applicants here, see note 1,
supra.
7
“financial institution” within the meaning of EESA and that the use
The court did not reach the merits of that argument because it
The bankruptcy court found for two reasons that applicants had
release the collateral (see p. 7, supra) and could not claim injury
from that decision. See Appl. App. 12a. The court also relied on
8
billion sale price. See ibid. For that reason, the court
establish injury in fact, they could not show that their injury was
itself.” Ibid.
court concluded that a ten-day stay was not justified given the
time-sensitive nature of the Chrysler sale and the $100 million per
the court of appeals accepted the appeal, id. at 73a, and issued a
Ibid. The court of appeals has continued its temporary stay of the
ARGUMENT
will conclude that the decision below was erroneous’; and (3) a
E-Systems, Inc. Group Hosp. Med. & Surgical Ins. Plan, 501 U.S.
entitled to the relief they seek. Rather, “in a close case it may
meaning of EESA, and that the sale itself is invalid as a sub rosa
reorganization plan.
11
liquidation than the $2 billion that the sale will produce. Those
not properly before the Court because (as both courts below appear
resolution of the standing issue, and they do not contend that the
2
Given that the court of appeals affirmed the bankruptcy
court “for substantially the reasons stated in the opinions of
Bankruptcy Judge Gonzalez,” Appl. App. 74a, the Second Circuit
appears to have agreed with the bankruptcy court that applicants
lack standing to raise their EESA challenge.
12
sale rests on the premise that the facts of this case are not as
Members of this Court will vote to review their claim regarding the
warrants this Court’s review, see Appl. 14-16, 22-23, even though
that issue has not yet been addressed by any court in this or any
other litigation.
544 U.S. 709, 718 n.7 (2005)). Accordingly, its “usual procedures”
here, where the courts below did not decide the interpretive
Court’s review.
applicants have not shown. Exxon Co., U.S.A. v. Sofec, Inc., 517
U.S. 830, 841 (1996) (quoting Graver Tank & Mfg. Co. v. Linde Air
Products Co., 336 U.S. 271, 275 (1949)). And applicants do not
provision was enacted only eight months ago and has not yet been
the Second Circuit, does not conflict with any decision of this
any other basis for concluding that this Court will grant certio-
contrast, the value of the assets in the context of this sale has
15
how to value collateral that the debtor does not plan to sell, but
collateral in the Rash scenario is not being sold on the market (or
discussed that issue in its opinion, see App., infra, 16, 18-24,
recognized, the Second Circuit has held that a bankruptcy court may
3
Applicants address (Appl. 19) only the bankruptcy court’s
discussion of sub rosa plans in its order. Applicants disregard
the court’s more extensive analysis of that issue in its opinion,
App., infra, 16, 18-24, which is expressly incorporated into the
order, see Appl. App. 42a.
16
Operating LLC), 478 F.3d 452, 466 (2d Cir. 2007)). Indeed, the
Airways, Inc. (In re Braniff Airways, Inc.), 700 F.2d 935, 940 (5th
Cir. 1983)). But the facts of the sale here do not amount to a sub
Pa., Inc., 788 F.2d 143 (3d Cir. 1986), is similarly misplaced.
The Third Circuit held in that case that “when a bankruptcy court
which has its own good-faith requirement. 788 F.2d at 150. The
21) that this Court should grant review because the Chrysler
success on the merits of that claim without showing that the Court
applicants contend that the government has “read out the word
18
laws of the United States or any State” and that “ha[s] significant
courts do not parse the individual words that make up the term;
United States, 128 S. Ct. 1572, 1577 (2008). And, to the extent
courts below that the challenged sale is not a sub rosa reorganiza-
this Court will not set aside the considered and reasonable factual
19
findings of a trial court once they have been affirmed by the court
for $2 billion in cash, which will be used to satisfy the same debt
the sale does not occur, the bankruptcy court found, “[t]he only
Id. at 17; see also id. at 18 n.15 (finding that a purported third
20
in the future. If the sale to New Chrysler does not take place,
findings are wrong or biased. Appl. 9 & n.3. But at the hearing,
ported assertion that the assets to be sold are actually worth $20
4
Applicants suggest (Appl. 27) that the treatment of the
unsecured portion of their claims against Chrysler will somehow
constitute injury. But because the collateral is not worth enough
to satisfy all first-priority secured claims, some portion will
necessarily be unsecured, regardless whether the sale proceeds or
Chrysler is liquidated.
21
App., infra, 19, but by the purchase price set in a bidding process
that the court specifically found was fair, open, and calculated to
grant certiorari and to decide the case on the merits by June 15,
entry of the stay could itself have the effect of preventing the
sale from going forward, since after June 15 Fiat will be legally
inequitable result where both the bankruptcy court and the court of
this Court will both review and reverse the Second Circuit’s
5
The bankruptcy court considered and rejected applicants’
challenge (Appl. 9 n.3) to the credibility of Debtors’ valuation
expert. App., infra, 19 n.17.
22
cannot show that the benefit to them would outweigh the very
cally found, no other options are available. App., infra, 16-18 &
n.15. Applicants’ bid to block the sale would force the liquida-
deadline for the proposed sale to close. After that date, Fiat has
Indeed, Chrysler is losing more than $100 million per day. Id. at
(S.D.N.Y. filed May 22, 2009); accord C.A. App. 1809 (5/27/2009
current and former Chrysler workers would be wiped out. C.A. App.
2974-2975.
b. Even if the stay were continued for a short time and Fiat
for both Chrysler and the United States government would far
million per day, Appl. App. 25a, the impact of which directly falls
$100-million-per-day losses.
official at his deposition”) and that “a stay here will not cause
25
Chrysler any harm.” Appl. 28. Those contentions lack merit. The
(5/29/2009 Trial Tr. 41); see also C.A. App. 1447 (Feldman
deposition 66:2-4).
harm could not outweigh these grave and very real consequences.
92.5% -- have given their consent to the sale. Id. at 27. As the
by that decision when it, along with all of the other first-tier
precludes them from asking this Court to give them relief that they
26
[applicants] did not want to waive such rights, they should not
infra, 30.
$42 million and contend that they will receive 29% of that sum from
the sale. App., infra, 11. Even if all of the bankruptcy court’s
recover the full $42 million owed them upon disapproval of the
prospect of losses many times that sum that Chrysler, its stake-
foreclosed.
CONCLUSION
Respectfully submitted.
ELENA KAGAN
Solicitor General
Counsel of Record
JUNE 2009