WASHINGTON – On Monday, Congressman Lance Gooden (R-Texas) and Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland opposing the return of an Obama-era practice that directs legal settlements to partisan, non-victim organizations.
Rep. Gooden said, “President Biden knows Republicans are set to regain control of the House next year and is determined to circumvent the Constitutional role of Congress to fund his radical agenda. Settlement agreement payments should go to the victims, not fund Democrats’ partisan pet projects.”
“The Biden administration is attempting to use a card from the Obama playbook to funnel money into its political allies by requiring federal defendants to pay a portion of their settlement funds to outside activist groups. This corrupt practice is a prime example of executive overreach,” said Senator Tuberville. He continued, “It is Congress’s job to direct federal funds and federal bureaucrats should not be in the business of picking winners and losers. Federal settlement funds should go to the victims first and then to the U.S. Treasury. I will continue to push for government accountability and transparency at all levels of the federal government.”
"While the Left seems more than content to re-engage in political cronyism by funneling American taxpayers' dollars from court settlements to partisan third parties, it's a relief to know Rep. Gooden and Sen. Tuberville are fighting to ensure this never comes to pass. The current prohibition on these payments is a prime example of responsible governance and we applaud Rep. Gooden and Sen. Tuberville for working to make the prohibition permanent." -Garrett Bess, Vice President of Heritage Action
Last month, the Biden Administration announced the reinstatement of an Obama-era practice requiring defendants to pay “donations” to activist groups as part of the terms of their defense settlement agreements. President Trump’s Department of Justice implemented a rule specifically banning this practice due to its potential for corruption and abuse.
Congressman Gooden and Senator Tuberville previously introduced the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act, which would codify the Trump-era prohibition on this corrupt practice.
Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Thomas P. Tiffany (R-WI), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Bill Posey (R-FL), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Scott Perry (R-PA), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Roger Williams (R-TX), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), Ben Cline (R-VA), Randy K. Weber (R-TX), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Ken Buck (R-CO), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Senators Tom Cotton (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Charles E. Grassley (R-IA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Michael S. Lee (R-UT), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Rick Scott, M. (R-FL), Michael Rounds (R-SD), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Ted Cruz (R-TX) also joined as signatories on the letter.
You can read the full text of the letter here.
Rep. Gooden said, “President Biden knows Republicans are set to regain control of the House next year and is determined to circumvent the Constitutional role of Congress to fund his radical agenda. Settlement agreement payments should go to the victims, not fund Democrats’ partisan pet projects.”
“The Biden administration is attempting to use a card from the Obama playbook to funnel money into its political allies by requiring federal defendants to pay a portion of their settlement funds to outside activist groups. This corrupt practice is a prime example of executive overreach,” said Senator Tuberville. He continued, “It is Congress’s job to direct federal funds and federal bureaucrats should not be in the business of picking winners and losers. Federal settlement funds should go to the victims first and then to the U.S. Treasury. I will continue to push for government accountability and transparency at all levels of the federal government.”
"While the Left seems more than content to re-engage in political cronyism by funneling American taxpayers' dollars from court settlements to partisan third parties, it's a relief to know Rep. Gooden and Sen. Tuberville are fighting to ensure this never comes to pass. The current prohibition on these payments is a prime example of responsible governance and we applaud Rep. Gooden and Sen. Tuberville for working to make the prohibition permanent." -Garrett Bess, Vice President of Heritage Action
Last month, the Biden Administration announced the reinstatement of an Obama-era practice requiring defendants to pay “donations” to activist groups as part of the terms of their defense settlement agreements. President Trump’s Department of Justice implemented a rule specifically banning this practice due to its potential for corruption and abuse.
Congressman Gooden and Senator Tuberville previously introduced the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act, which would codify the Trump-era prohibition on this corrupt practice.
Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Thomas P. Tiffany (R-WI), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Bill Posey (R-FL), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Scott Perry (R-PA), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Roger Williams (R-TX), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), Ben Cline (R-VA), Randy K. Weber (R-TX), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Ken Buck (R-CO), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Senators Tom Cotton (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Charles E. Grassley (R-IA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Michael S. Lee (R-UT), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Rick Scott, M. (R-FL), Michael Rounds (R-SD), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Ted Cruz (R-TX) also joined as signatories on the letter.
You can read the full text of the letter here.