Human Events: Justice Department asked to investigate abuse of stimulus funds for lobbying

Read the full story here. HumanEvents.com

“Cause of Action, a non-profit government accountability watchdog group, wrote to Attorney General Eric Holder and asked him to investigate the Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) grant program in depth, because “it appears that many grantees used grant dollars to lobby state and local officials for the creation of new taxes and other legislation.”

Contrary to dismissive statements made by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, this is against the law. Sebelius asserted that it’s only illegal when federal grant money is used to lobby the federal government, but in fact, it is illegal for such funds “to be used directly or indirectly to pay for any personal service, advertisement, telegram, telephone, letter, printed or written matter, or other device, intended or designed to influence in any manner… [a] jurisdiction, or an official of any government, to favor, adopt, or oppose, by vote or otherwise, any legislation, law ratification, policy, or appropriation.”

Cause of Action gave the Attorney General a few examples of clear violations to get him started….”

Heritage Foundation: Heritage Investigation Leads to Lawsuit Against the White House

Read the full story here. Heritage Foundation

“A public advocacy organization is suing the White House for failing to disclose its administrative earmarks, and cites a Heritage Foundation investigation as evidence.

Cause of Action, an organization that uses public advocacy to ensure transparency in government, announced its suit last week.”

 

VIDEO: CoA’s Amber Taylor on “Anderson” Discussing Sperm Donor Regulation

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Amber Taylor visits Anderson Cooper’s daytime show to explain why privacy rights and over regulation are important issues in the debate of sperm donation.

 

Politico: Group sues over ‘agency earmarks’ data

Read the full story here. Politico

“The government accountability group Cause of Action is suing the Obama administration over the practice of ‘agency earmarks,’ alleging that the Office of Management and Budget is not complying with open records Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests about the practice.

Agency earmarks, in contrast to legislative earmarks, are a process where federal agencies use their discretionary funds to give out grants. Upon taking over the House in 2010, Republicans put a ban on the practice of legislative earmarking — but some lawmakers have nevertheless found ways to fill bills with pet projects.

‘By continuing to remain silent, the OMB is precluding American taxpayers from knowing the truth,’ said Dan Epstein, executive director of Cause of Action. ‘The time for playing shell games with administrative earmarks has come to an end.'”

CoA’s Dan Epstein Joins Martha Zoller Show to Discuss Case Against the Dept. of Energy

Dan Epstein – Martha Zoller Show, Jan 27, 2012

Dan Epstein, Executive Director of Cause of Action joined The Martha Zoller Show to discuss the lawsuit filed against the Department of Energy that could threaten jobs and costs consumers millions of dollars.

The Daily Caller: Heating and AC distributors file petition against Energy Dept.

Read the full story here. Daily Caller

“Cause of Action, representing HARDI, however, claims that the new standards will result in the loss of nearly 17,000 jobs, $7 million in lost wages and that the elderly will be disproportionately affected because they will not be able to recover the costs associated with purchasing more expensive yet energy efficient appliances.

The group is seeking judicial intervention on the grounds that the DOE did not follow proper procedures when adopting the so-called direct final rule, mandating the regional standards.”

 

VIDEO: CoA’s Amber Taylor on ANDERSON Discussing FDA’s Over Regulation of Trent Arsenault

Amber Taylor with Cause of Action visits Anderson Cooper’s daytime show to explain how the FDA is over regulating Trent Arsenault, a private citizen sperm donor who has been told to “cease manufacture” of his sperm.