President Donald Trump's administration has moved to drop or suspend federal lawsuits, cases and investigations against 89 corporations previously brought by the Biden administration over alleged corporate malfeasance, according to a new report from the nonprofit watchdog group Public Citizen.
More than 40 companies were facing cases and probes from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and 20 were being investigated by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission over alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a law that prohibits American companies from bribing foreign officials. Trump also issued an executive order suspending the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Other companies faced investigations and cases brought by the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, the DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources Division and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Securities and Exchange Commission is also ending cases against the cryptocurrency exchanges Coinbase and Kraken, which were accused of operating as unregistered securities exchanges during the Biden administration.
"Trump is handing 'get out of jail free' cards to corporate lawbreakers," Rick Claypool, Public Citizen's research director, said in a statement to NPR. "The consequences for the public when corporations face a diminished threat of enforcement are disastrous."
"The Department of Justice remains committed to vigorously enforcing federal law and holding criminals accountable," a DOJ spokesperson said in a statement.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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