Comparison with Barry Bonds after the jump.

Yes, Goldman notes in its 10-Q filed today with the SEC, it has "received inquiries from various governmental agencies and self-regulatory organizations regarding the firm's compensation processes" and "is cooperating." It has also, of course, received "several demand letters from shareholders" about "compensation matters" and is "considering them." Before throwing them into the circular file.

Goldman is so big that it will never not be probed and/or poked at by governments, other companies, and the occasional private non-lawyer — look at just some of its not-untypical "legal proceedings" starting on page 140 of the 10-Q. The key is whether government probes are ever so serious that Goldman can't buy its way of trouble for just a few score million and no hint of jail time for anyone.

But back to those record profits for a minute. Michael Corkery compares Goldman with Barry Bonds: "[L]ike Bonds, who was accused of using illegal steroids to juice his hitting, does Goldman's second-quarter trading profit also need an asterisk ...?":

Except that Bonds isn't playing, and Goldman is.