All articles tagged with #congressional probe
Former special counsel Jack Smith has requested a public hearing before the House Judiciary Committee to defend his investigation into Donald Trump amid GOP accusations of misconduct, aiming to clarify his actions and allow the public to hear his testimony directly.
U.S. lawmakers, led by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Jamie Raskin, have called on the Justice Department to investigate major oil companies like Exxon Mobil, Chevron, BP, and Shell for allegedly deceiving the public about the impact of fossil fuels on climate change. The request follows a nearly three-year congressional investigation and accuses these companies of making false promises to reduce emissions while protecting oil and gas production. The Justice Department has received the letter but has not commented, while the accused companies and trade groups have dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
Harvard University is obstructing a congressional probe into campus-wide anti-Semitism, prompting lawmakers to warn of subpoenas if the school continues to stonewall the investigation. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has given Harvard until Feb. 14 to produce documents outlining its response to anti-Semitism on campus, following concerns about the safety of Jewish and pro-Israel students. Lawmakers have criticized Harvard for providing insufficient and heavily redacted documents, escalating tensions between the university and Republican lawmakers.
Rep. James Comer, the House Oversight Committee chairman leading the congressional probe into Hunter Biden and President Biden, accused special counsel David Weiss of indicting Hunter Biden on minimal charges to protect him from potentially damaging revelations during the committee's investigation. Comer suggested that Weiss may have done so to prevent Hunter Biden from testifying before the committee. However, network anchor Jake Tapper expressed skepticism, pointing out that Hunter Biden still faces significant legal consequences. Hunter Biden's attorney, Abbe Lowell, claimed that the new charges were brought in response to Republican pressure and criticized the timing of the indictment.
Republican leaders in the House and Senate are investigating the Department of Energy (DOE) over its $3 billion award to Sunnova Energy Corporation, a solar energy company accused of scamming elderly customers. Reports have highlighted Sunnova's alleged deceptive sales practices, including pressuring elderly homeowners in poor health to sign expensive long-term contracts. The DOE's loan guarantee to Sunnova's Project Hestia, which aims to provide solar and battery storage to low-income individuals, is part of President Biden's green energy agenda. The Republicans expressed concern over rewarding a company with numerous consumer complaints and a history of misleading customers. Sunnova has previously received an "F rating" from the Better Business Bureau and faced allegations of breaching contracts and providing poor customer service.
Republican leaders in the House and Senate are investigating the Department of Energy (DOE) over its $3 billion award to Sunnova Energy Corporation, a solar energy company accused of scamming elderly customers. The Republicans expressed concern about reports of Sunnova's deceptive sales practices, including pressuring elderly homeowners in poor health to sign long-term contracts. The DOE had awarded the loan guarantee to Sunnova's Project Hestia, which aims to provide solar and battery storage to low-income individuals as part of President Biden's green energy agenda. The Republicans cited previous complaints against Sunnova, including an "F rating" from the Better Business Bureau and allegations of misleading consumers in Puerto Rico. Sunnova has not responded to requests for comment.
A former FBI supervisory special agent has confirmed that Hunter Biden received special treatment during his criminal probe, with the Secret Service and Biden transition team being tipped off about the investigation and agents being instructed not to ring Hunter's doorbell. This favoritism prevented the FBI from speaking to Hunter at all, raising concerns about the thoroughness and fairness of the probe. The revelation adds to the evidence of an ongoing effort to protect the Bidens from bad press and political repercussions, while those seeking the truth are discredited. Hunter Biden's plea deal is set to be finalized in court next week.
A congressional investigation has revealed that major tax-prep companies, including TaxSlayer, H&R Block, and TaxAct, have been sharing Americans' sensitive financial data with tech giants Meta and Google for years, potentially violating federal law. The data, which included taxpayer information such as filing status, adjusted gross income, and tax refunds, was shared without consent or appropriate disclosures. The report raises concerns about taxpayer privacy and could lead to legal action against the companies involved. The investigation also found that every taxpayer who used TaxAct's IRS Free File service had their information shared with the tech companies. The findings underscore the need for federal legislation guaranteeing data privacy rights for Americans.
Rep. Patrick McHenry, the House Financial Services Committee chairman leading an investigation into two of the largest bank failures in history, has returned all donations from a fundraiser with bank executives in Signature Bank’s boardroom just days before its collapse. McHenry pushed back on suggestions that he should recuse himself from the high-profile congressional probe, stating that he could not be influenced by campaign cash. McHenry and his Democratic counterpart on Financial Services, Rep. Maxine Waters, will hold their first hearing on March 29 as they launch an investigation into the collapse this month of both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.