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IRS settlement or self-serve fountain of fraud? |
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In a brazen act of self-dealing, the administration announced a settlement had been reached between the IRS and President Trump, who had sued the agency for $10 billion over leaked tax records. POGO had filed an amicus brief questioning the constitutional merits and obvious conflicts of interest in the case, as Trump was essentially suing himself and controlling both sides of the litigation. The lawsuit was unlikely to survive a trial. But the settlement is even more blatantly corrupt. It “forever” bars the IRS from examining the president’s past tax returns and creates a $1.8 billion slush fund that will likely “funnel taxpayer money to President Trump’s allies” with no obvious criteria or oversight. |
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The “self-dealing settlement” has brought sharp rebukes from both sides of the aisle in Congress, and we urge legislators to swiftly check this clear abuse of power. NOT SO FAST: “The government may have devised a way to settle a meritless lawsuit at the expense of American taxpayers, but it still must comply with federal law.” Read Democracy Forward’s powerful preservation request that rightly demands an accountable record be kept of this closed-door deal.
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The Senate advances vote to end Iran war |
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On Tuesday, the Senate took a critical step toward reclaiming its constitutional authority over war and peace, advancing a resolution that would bring an end to the illegal war in Iran unless the White House receives Congress’s approval. Your representatives took an oath to defend the Constitution, and the Constitution’s instructions are clear: going to war is Congress’s decision, not left to the whims of a single person. Congress must reclaim its role as the red line that separates one president’s prerogative and a reckless war that affects millions. |
- MEANWHILE, IN THE HOUSE: While the Senate finally shows some courage, your representatives in the House cancelled a vote on an Iran war powers resolution.
- WAR CRIMES IN THE CARIBBEAN? With much of the world focused on the illegal war in Iran, we have not forgotten the lawless strikes on civilian boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. On Tuesday, the Pentagon’s inspector general confirmed it will evaluate whether the 57 boat strikes that have claimed at least 192 lives “followed the established framework” and processes for targeting enemies. We are hopeful that this critical oversight office remains independent and will conduct a thorough review. It’s essential to investigate who should be held accountable for these strikes.
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(Illustration: Luna Velez / POGO) |
Insider trading issues on prediction markets have outpaced the frameworks that govern them. But despite bipartisan calls for a prediction market betting ban in the House, the issue seems to be mired in “political inertia.” You deserve to know that your representatives are not profiting from their decisions. In addition to the various legislative reforms POGO has proposed, we continue to press the House to enact a similar rule as the Senate, rather than wielding it as a political football. The longer the House delays, the greater the erosion of public trust. |
- PREVENTING MARKET CORRUPTION: Prediction markets open the door for corruption and conflicts of interest in our government. Even campaign staffers have taken advantage of privileged information. But, as POGO’s Janice Luong explains, there are multiple ways Congress can prevent insider trading and corruption.
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LATEST FROM POGO INVESTIGATES |
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Troubled ICE Medical Provider Remains at Camp East Montana Despite Outcry |
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(Illustration: Leslie Garvey / POGO) |
Camp East Montana’s medical provider had a yearslong paper trail of poor management and substandard medical care. And yet, when ICE made a show of firing the prime contractor at a troubled Texas facility that had experienced deaths, a measles outbreak, and allegations of substandard medical care, it quietly kept using the same medical provider. Read POGO Investigates’ latest deep dive on the company making billions in federal contracts despite a history of alleged medical neglect and controversies in its wake. |
- WE WON’T BACK DOWN: POGO Investigates filed a FOIA lawsuit to obtain footage of a September boat strike in the Caribbean Sea that may show the U.S. military killing shipwrecked survivors in an illegal “double-tap” attack. The Pentagon denied that request — a denial that also appears to be illegal. We won't accept that. The Pentagon’s “push to hide this video as classified raises questions as to whether it shows clear violations of the law,” said POGO Director of Investigations and Research Brandon Brockmyer. “We will continue our fight for the truth and for accountability to ensure the public can draw their own conclusions about the administration’s military operations.”
- IN THE NEWS: POGO Investigates and American University’s Investigative Reporting Workshop helped CNN uncover “at least a dozen deaths” of people in DHS custody that “better care could potentially have prevented.” This critical work is fueled by your trust in us to bring truth to light.
- GIVE NOW: Support our battle for transparency.
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Project On Government Oversight
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