Statement from Daniel Stevens, Executive Director of Campaign for Accountability, on the nomination of David Bernhardt for the position of Secretary of the Department of the Interior.
On January 30, 2019, CfA filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service alleging Human Life International, Inc., a nonprofit anti-choice organization based in Front Royal, Virginia, failed to report lobbying expenditures and engaged in prohibited political activities in support of its anti-abortion advocacy efforts in the Philippines.
On January 16, 2019, CfA released a new report, Capturing the Classroom: How Google Sidestepped School Authorities to Push its Products into Schools, documenting how Google’s products invaded the American K-12 education system with the help of teacher-evangelists, the EdTech industry, and taxpayer dollars.
On January 14, 2019, CfA again called on North Carolina officials to investigate whether Tim Moore, Speaker of the North Carolina General Assembly, improperly used his position to seek preferential treatment from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (“DEQ”) regarding a property owned by his company, Southeast Land Holdings, LLC. Additionally, CfA called for an investigation into whether DEQ officials acted appropriately when they issued a Conditional No Further Action letter to Speaker Moore’s company in September 2016.
On January 14, 2019, CfA called on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, as well as Attorney General Dana Nessel and Auditor General Doug Ringler, to investigate and terminate the state’s contract with Real Alternatives, an anti-abortion nonprofit organization that receives state funding to run the Michigan Parenting and Pregnancy Support Program. CfA’s investigation found that, despite receiving $2.6 million in Michigan taxpayer funds over the course of nearly five years, Real Alternatives appears to have both misused taxpayer dollars and failed to provide adequate health services.
On December 17, 2018, CfA asked the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to investigate the Office of Refugee Resettlement (“ORR”) and its former director, Scott Lloyd, for improperly obstructing a teenager’s access to reproductive healthcare and for providing her with religious counseling and materials – including Bible verses – while in ORR’s custody.
On December 10, 2018, CfA released a new report, Quitting Google, showing it is virtually impossible to avoid Google’s omnipresent tracking despite the company’s claims that “competition is just a click away.” In conjunction with the report, CfA released a new browser extension that alerts users when Google products are tracking them online.
On October 25, 2018, CfA asked Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the appointment of Suzanne Israel Tufts, the Assistant Secretary for Administration at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to replace Department of Interior Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall amid ongoing investigations into Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s unethical behavior.
On October 23, 2018, CfA renewed its request to Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt to investigate rooftop solar companies – specifically Vivint Solar – after a local media outlet uncovered evidence that Vivint is continuing to victimize Nevada consumers.
On October 18, 2018, CfA called on officials at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to investigate whether Scott Lloyd, Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, used his government position to help secure a government contract for his former employer, the Catholic fraternal service organization, the Knights of Columbus.