Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass H.R.9495, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act. This legislation grants the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department the right to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations with views that political leaders may oppose — with little to no recourse for these organizations.  Campaign Legal Center (CLC) has previously expressed concerns with this legislation, given its potential to be used by the government to sanction organizations with dissenting views. Trevor Potter — CLC’s president — issued the following statement in response:  

“Campaign Legal Center (CLC) strongly opposes H.R. 9495, a dangerous bill that could be used to silence dissent and suppress the views of those President-elect Donald Trump — or any future president — believes to be political enemies. We urge the Senate to kill this bill that could silence dissenting voices and punish groups that do important work to make America a more perfect union.”

Read more about the implications of H.R. 9495 here.

Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs voted to advance S.2270, the Executive Branch Accountability and Transparency Act. This bipartisan legislation, which is led by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Gary Peters (D-MI), would strengthen ethics in the executive branch by promoting public access to vital information needed to hold officials accountable. 

This bill is also the Senate counterpart to legislation recently approved by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Campaign Legal Center (CLC) endorses the legislation and Kedric Payne — CLC’s vice president, general counsel, and senior director, ethics — issued the following statement of support: 

“CLC applauds the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s decision to move the Executive Branch Accountability and Transparency Act a step closer to a full vote by the whole Senate. 

“This bipartisan legislation would establish a new database that tracks information like financial disclosures, recusal agreements, and other relevant ethics documents for key executive branch officials and political appointees. 

“As the nation prepares for a new presidential administration, voters have a right to access these records, so they can know whether their federal officials are prioritizing the needs of the public. 

“Ethics violations and conflicts of interest by members of the executive branch risk eroding public trust if left unchecked. Without enhanced transparency, elected and appointed leaders can serve their own personal interests unbeknownst to voters, ultimately harming everyday Americans and our country. 

“Following today’s important committee action, both chambers of Congress must not delay in passing this critical legislation.”

This week, President-elect Donald Trump chose doctor and TV personality Mehmet Oz to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Kedric Payne — CLC’s vice president, general counsel and senior director, ethics — released the following statement in response to this developing story:

“The nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is deeply concerning given the ethical implications of his past holdings in healthcare industry stocks. 

“Elected and appointed leaders must prioritize the public good over their own financial interests. Dr. Oz’s past holdings in healthcare, insurance and pharmaceutical companies raise serious concerns about the conflicts of interest he may have as CMS Administrator.” 

“Dr. Oz has held significant stock in health insurance giants including United Healthcare and Cigna, and in the pharmaceutical company CVS. If confirmed to this position, Dr. Oz will hold sway over how Medicare is administered and could make decisions that make those stocks more valuable while adversely impacting the healthcare of millions of Americans.

“Dr. Oz’s holdings would raise questions about his ability to impartially run drug coverage programs under Medicare and Medicaid, as decisions CMS leadership can make about the way these programs operate and negotiate prices can impact those holdings.  

“These possible conflicts — made public thanks to transparency laws — could lead to an influx of wealth for Dr. Oz if he is confirmed as CMS Administrator. Voters have a right to know about these conflicts of interest so that he (and others in leadership positions) can be held accountable. These factors should be of utmost consideration throughout the nomination process and should weigh heavily on each and every Senator poised to vote on his confirmation.” 

This week, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida resigned from the House of Representatives shortly after being nominated to serve as U.S. attorney general by President-elect Donald Trump. Due to this resignation, the House Ethics Committee may withhold from the public their findings in allegations that former Rep. Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, and obstructed government investigations. 

Kedric Payne — CLC’s vice president, general counsel and senior director, ethics — released the following statement in response to this developing story: 

“The resignation of former Rep. Gaetz and the subsequent withholding of the House Ethics Committee’s investigative report is disappointing, especially due to the fact that another, more transparent body could have provided the public with vital insight into this investigation, even after Gaetz’s resignation. 

“The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) is the only independent entity with the power to investigate members of Congress, and the OCE frequently releases their findings even when lawmakers decide to resign to avoid accountability. 

“While the House and Senate have ethics rules that Congress must abide by, these rules can still be insufficient in compelling transparency and accountability for potential wrongdoing by lawmakers. 

“Voters deserve the insight into their elected officials that ethics reports provide, and members of Congress should not be able to simply resign to avoid accountability. The comparative lack of transparency from the House Ethics Committee underscores the importance of the OCE and serves as yet another argument for codifying the OCE into law and establishing permanent independent ethics bodies for both chambers of Congress.”