On July 21, 2017, the Senate confirmed Mark Esper as Secretary of the Army, installing a former Raytheon weapons lobbyist in a senior Pentagon position overseeing billions of dollars in defense contracts. Esper had served as Raytheon’s vice president of government relations from July 2010 …
Mark EsperRaytheonDonald TrumpElizabeth Warrenrevolving-doorraytheondefense-contractorspentagonlobbying+1 more
On June 15, 2017, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City initially denied Reserve Trust Company’s application for a master account, one month after former Fed Governor Sarah Bloom Raskin joined the fintech’s board. Subsequent investigations revealed that Raskin allegedly made direct …
Sarah Bloom RaskinReserve Trust CompanyFederal Reserve Bank of Kansas CityEsther GeorgePat Toomey+1 morefederal-reservecorruptionrevolving-doorsarah-bloom-raskinkansas-city-fed+4 more
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced on June 14, 2017, that she would delay implementation of Obama-era “borrower defense to repayment” regulations scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2017—rules designed to help students defrauded by predatory colleges like Corinthian and ITT Tech …
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched an investigation into the unprecedented manipulation of its public comment system during the net neutrality repeal process. An estimated 18 million out of 22 million comments were found to be fake, generated through coordinated campaigns by …
Ajit PaiFederal Communications CommissionNew York Attorney General's Officedigital-democracyregulatory-capturetelecommunicationscorporate-manipulationtechnology-policy
President Trump signed a sweeping executive order at the EPA that effectively dismantled Obama’s climate change policies, targeting the Clean Power Plan and lifting restrictions on carbon emissions. The order represented a significant regulatory rollback, prioritizing fossil fuel industry …
Donald TrumpScott PruittLee ZeldinMurray Energy Corporationepa-rollbackclimate-changeregulatory-capturefossil-fuel-industryenvironmental-policy
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who rode a horse to his first day while claiming to be like Teddy Roosevelt, opened 10 million acres of public lands to oil and gas drilling while his wife ran a consulting firm doing business with those seeking Interior Department approval. Zinke shrunk Bears Ears …
Ryan ZinkeDavid BernhardtDepartment of InteriorHalliburtonOil Industrypublic-landsregulatory-captureenvironmental-destructioncorruptionextraction-industry
Burisma Holdings, the Ukrainian energy company, announced the appointment of Joseph Cofer Black to its board of directors on February 15, 2017, less than one month after Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration. Black, the former vice chairman of Blackwater (the private military contractor …
Joseph Cofer BlackErik PrinceNikolay ZlochevskyiHunter BidenMitt Romneyconflicts-of-interestforeign-influenceprivate-intelligenceregulatory-captureukraine
Scott Pruitt, who sued the EPA 14 times as Oklahoma Attorney General while taking 00,000+ from fossil fuel companies, became EPA Administrator and immediately began dismantling environmental protections. He installed a 3,000 soundproof phone booth, took 30+ first-class flights costing taxpayers …
Scott PruittEPAAndrew WheelerDonald TrumpFossil Fuel Industryregulatory-captureenvironmental-destructioncorruptionclimate-denialindustry-influence
Rex Tillerson, former ExxonMobil CEO who received Putin’s Order of Friendship for Russian energy deals and maintained 45 million in oil investments, became Secretary of State despite unprecedented opposition. Tillerson had negotiated a 00 billion Arctic drilling deal with Russia’s …
Rex TillersonExxonMobilVladimir PutinDonald TrumpState Departmentoil-industryrussia-connectionsregulatory-captureforeign-influenceinstitutional-destruction
President Donald Trump designates Ajit Pai as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, elevating the sitting Republican commissioner and former Verizon Communications associate general counsel to lead the agency responsible for regulating his former employer and the broader …
Donald TrumpAjit PaiVerizon CommunicationsFederal Communications CommissionTom Wheelerrevolving-doorregulatory-capturefccnet-neutralityverizon+2 more
Despite campaign rhetoric opposing Wall Street, Trump appointed an unprecedented concentration of Goldman Sachs executives to key positions. Gary Cohn, who received a $285 million severance from Goldman, became National Economic Council Director. Steven Mnuchin, a 17-year Goldman partner who …
Gary CohnSteven MnuchinGoldman SachsDina PowellJay Clayton+1 moreregulatory-capturewall-streetconflict-of-interestrevolving-doorfinancial-sector
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) became instrumental in advocating for the Financial CHOICE Act, legislation aimed at significantly restructuring financial regulation by repealing major parts of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Shelby, who had …
Richard ShelbySenate Banking CommitteeWall StreetDodd-Frank Actregulatory-capturefinancial-sectorbanking-committeederegulationcongressional-corruption
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and Los Angeles City Attorney announce a combined $185 million settlement with Wells Fargo for the systematic creation of more than two million unauthorized deposit and credit card accounts. The CFPB assesses a $100 …
The Federal Communications Commission approves landmark net neutrality protections by a 3-2 party-line vote, reclassifying broadband internet service as a “telecommunications service” under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 to establish legally enforceable rules prohibiting …
Tom WheelerFederal Communications CommissionAjit PaiMichael O'RiellyMignon Clyburn+2 morenet-neutralityfcctelecommunicationstitle-iitom-wheeler+1 more
Joan Buenconsejo, who led FDA analysis of medical statistics for drug reviews including AstraZeneca products in 2012-2013, joined AstraZeneca as a director and biometrics team leader in June 2014. This transition exemplifies the systemic ‘revolving door’ problem in pharmaceutical …
Joan BuenconsejoFDAAstraZenecaCenter for Drug Evaluation and Researchregulatory-capturepharmaceutical-industryfdarevolving-doorconflict-of-interest
The Federal Communications Commission votes 3-2 to advance Chairman Tom Wheeler’s controversial proposal that would permit internet service providers to charge content companies for priority “fast lane” access to consumers, fundamentally threatening net neutrality principles. The …
Tom WheelerFederal Communications CommissionGoogleMicrosoftFacebook+3 morenet-neutralityfccregulatory-capturetelecommunicationstom-wheeler
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) released comprehensive tax reform draft legislation proposing to raise the tax on carried interest from 23.8% to 35%, effectively closing one of the most notorious tax loopholes benefiting private equity and hedge fund managers. Carried …
Dave CampHouse Ways and Means CommitteeCarlyle GroupCerberus Capital ManagementManaged Funds Associationregulatory-capturetax-policylobbyingprivate-equitycongressional-corruption
Facebook acquires WhatsApp for $19 billion, the largest tech acquisition to date, eliminating its primary competitor in mobile messaging and consolidating monopoly control over personal communications platforms. The FTC approves the acquisition without structural separation requirements despite …
FacebookMark ZuckerbergWhatsAppJan KoumBrian Acton+1 morefacebookwhatsappantitrustmergermonopolization+4 more
The Senate confirmed former Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) as U.S. Ambassador to China by a vote of 96-0, ending his 36-year congressional career. Baucus had served as chairman and ranking member of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, where he was the chief architect of the …
Max BaucusSenate Finance CommitteeMerckUnitedHealth GroupJeffrey Forbesrevolving-doorlobbyingcongressional-corruptionhealthcareregulatory-capture
The DC Circuit Court of Appeals delivers a landmark ruling in Verizon v. FCC, striking down the Federal Communications Commission’s anti-blocking and anti-discrimination net neutrality rules while paradoxically outlining the path to stronger protections through Title II reclassification. The …
Verizon CommunicationsDC Circuit Court of AppealsFederal Communications CommissionJulius Genachowskinet-neutralitytelecommunicationsregulatory-captureverizonfcc+1 more
By 2014, anonymous Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) and shell companies had become the primary infrastructure enabling Russian oligarchs and other kleptocrats to launder an estimated $300 billion or more annually into US real estate. Unlike most developed nations, the United States imposed no …
US TreasuryFinCENRussian OligarchsUS real estate industrymoney-launderingrussian-oligarchsreal-estateshell-companiesfincen+3 more
The Los Angeles Times investigates Wells Fargo’s aggressive sales practices, revealing systematic pressures on employees to create unauthorized accounts. The investigation exposes a corporate culture that incentivized fraud, with employees opening fake accounts to meet impossible sales quotas. …
Wells Fargo BoardJohn StumpfScott Reckard (LA Times Reporter)corporate-fraudbanking-regulationregulatory-capturewells-fargo
Investigation revealed that Citigroup lobbyists drafted a House bill aimed at rolling back Dodd-Frank financial regulations, with 70 of the 85 lines in the final House legislation directly reflecting Citigroup’s recommendations. Two complete paragraphs were copied almost word-for-word from …
In August 2013, Ali Bahrami, who led the FAA office overseeing Boeing aircraft certification, departed to join the Aerospace Industries Association. This move epitomizes regulatory capture, as Bahrami had been instrumental in pushing for increased industry self-regulation. Former FAA engineers …
Ali BahramiFAABoeingAerospace Industries Association737 MAXregulatory-captureaviation-safetyfaaboeingrevolving-door+1 more
President Barack Obama nominates Tom Wheeler, a former top lobbyist for cable and wireless industries, to lead the Federal Communications Commission. Wheeler’s appointment exemplifies the revolving door between telecommunications regulators and industry, having served as CEO of the Cellular …
Tom WheelerBarack ObamaCellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA)National Cable Television Association (NCTA)Public Interest Groups+1 moreregulatory-capturefccrevolving-doortelecommunicationstom-wheeler+1 more
President Barack Obama nominates Tom Wheeler, a former top lobbyist for cable and wireless industries, to lead the Federal Communications Commission. Wheeler’s appointment exemplifies the revolving door between telecommunications regulators and industry, having served as CEO of the Cellular …
Tom WheelerBarack ObamaCellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA)National Cable Television Association (NCTA)Public Interest Groups+1 moreregulatory-capturefccrevolving-doortelecommunicationstom-wheeler+1 more
President Obama signed legislation that gutted key provisions of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, just one year after the law was passed with great fanfare to combat congressional insider trading. The amendment eliminated the requirement for creating a searchable, sortable …
Barack ObamaCongressional CorruptionInsider TradingRegulatory CaptureEthics Reform RollbackPolitical Accountability+1 more
The Federal Trade Commission closed its 19-month antitrust investigation of Google without bringing charges, despite internal staff recommendations for legal action. With 230 White House meetings in 2012-2013, Google demonstrated unprecedented political access, ultimately avoiding significant …
Federal Trade CommissionGoogle Inc.Larry PageEric SchmidtFTC Staff Attorneys+2 moreregulatory-capturetech-industryantitrustgoogleftc+2 more
Facebook acquired Instagram for $1 billion in a strategic move explicitly designed to neutralize a potential competitive threat. The acquisition was part of a systematic strategy to prevent emerging social media platforms from challenging Facebook’s market dominance. With Instagram having 27 …
Mark ZuckerbergFacebook Inc.Instagram Inc.Kevin SystromMike Krieger+1 moreregulatory-capturetech-industryantitrustfacebookmeta+2 more
Facebook acquired photo-sharing app Instagram for billion, implementing what the FTC would later characterize as a ‘buy or bury’ strategy to eliminate competitive threats. Internal emails revealed CEO Mark Zuckerberg explicitly stated the acquisition was motivated by a desire to …
Facebook Inc.Mark ZuckerbergInstagram Inc.Kevin SystromMike Krieger+1 moreregulatory-capturetech-industryantitrustfacebookmeta+1 more
Facebook acquired photo-sharing app Instagram for billion, implementing what the FTC would later characterize as a “buy or bury” strategy to eliminate competitive threats. Internal emails revealed CEO Mark Zuckerberg explicitly stated the acquisition was motivated by a desire to …
Facebook Inc.Mark ZuckerbergInstagram Inc.Kevin SystromMike Krieger+1 moreregulatory-capturetech-industryantitrustfacebookmeta+1 more
President Barack Obama signed the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act into law, addressing long-standing concerns about insider trading by members of Congress. The bipartisan legislation, passed with overwhelming support (96-3 in Senate, 417-2 in House), prohibits members of Congress …
The first comprehensive audit of the Federal Reserve revealed it secretly provided $16.1 trillion in emergency loans to major financial institutions during the 2008-2010 financial crisis, far exceeding the $700 billion TARP program. The audit exposed unprecedented scale of financial sector bailouts, …
Federal ReserveBen BernankeCitigroupMorgan StanleyGoldman Sachs+4 morefinancial-crisissecret-bailoutmonetary-capturefederal-reserveregulatory-capture+1 more
MF Global Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, becoming the eighth largest bankruptcy in U.S. history at that time. The firm, led by former U.S. Senator and New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, reported that up to $1.6 billion in customer segregated funds were missing. The collapse came …
Jon CorzineFinancial CorruptionWall StreetRegulatory CaptureDemocratic PartyCustomer Fraud+1 more
FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker announces her resignation to join Comcast-NBC Universal as senior vice president of governmental affairs, just four months after voting to approve the company’s merger with NBC Universal. Baker was part of the 4-1 majority that approved the $30 billion …
Meredith Attwell BakerComcast CorporationNBC UniversalFederal Communications CommissionCraig Aaron+1 moreregulatory-capturefccrevolving-doortelecommunicationscomcast+1 more
FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker announces her resignation to join Comcast-NBC Universal as senior vice president of governmental affairs, just four months after voting to approve the company’s merger with NBC Universal. Baker was part of the 4-1 majority that approved the $30 billion …
Meredith Attwell BakerComcast CorporationNBC UniversalFederal Communications CommissionCraig Aaron+1 moreregulatory-capturefccrevolving-doortelecommunicationscomcast+1 more
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a nonprofit organization bringing together state legislators and corporate representatives, continued operating its model legislation system where corporate lobbyists receive “equal voice and vote” with elected officials in drafting …
American Legislative Exchange CouncilState LegislaturesKoch IndustriesExxonMobilregulatory-capturelobbyingcorporate-corruptionlegislative-capturealec
The Federal Communications Commission approves the Open Internet Order by a 3-2 party-line vote, establishing the first formal net neutrality regulations but with significant weaknesses that would prove legally vulnerable. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s order established three core rules: …
Federal Communications CommissionJulius GenachowskiComcast CorporationVerizon CommunicationsAT&Tnet-neutralityfcctelecommunicationsregulatory-capturederegulation
Jeffrey Siegel, an FDA staff member specializing in arthritis drug reviews, oversaw the 2010 approval of Genentech tocilizumab (Actemra) for arthritis treatment. Within months of the approval, Siegel left the FDA to join Genentech and its parent company Roche as director of the division that …
A Government Accountability Office investigation released on August 4, 2010, exposed systemic fraud and deceptive practices across the for-profit college industry, revealing that while these institutions enrolled only 10-12% of all higher education students, they received 25% of all federal …
Government Accountability OfficeTom Harkinfor-profit-collegesstudent-debtfraudregulatory-capture
Unverified claim about Wells Fargo hiring a former SEC enforcement official requires comprehensive investigation. No credible sources could confirm the specific details of this alleged hiring in 2010.
Academic research reveals systemic problems with the SEC’s ‘revolving door’ between regulatory agencies and financial institutions. Between 2001-2010, 419 former SEC employees filed 1,949 disclosure statements for private representation, creating significant conflicts of interest. …
Wells Fargo & Co.Securities and Exchange CommissionSEC San Francisco enforcement branchFormer SEC enforcement chiefPrivate financial defense attorneys+2 moreregulatory-capturesec-revolving-doorwells-fargoenforcement-conflictsfinancial-regulation+1 more
The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico marked the beginning of one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history. The explosion killed 11 workers and caused a massive oil spill that would leak approximately 134 million gallons of oil over 87 days. The disaster …
BP (British Petroleum)Transocean LtdHalliburtonMinerals Management ServiceBarack Obama+2 moreenvironmental-disastercorporate-negligenceoil-industryregulatory-capturegulf-coast
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals issues its decision in SpeechNow.org v. FEC, creating what become known as “super PACs” by allowing unlimited contributions to independent expenditure committees. Building directly on the Supreme Court’s Citizens United logic from just two months …
The Supreme Court issues its landmark 5-4 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, fundamentally reshaping American campaign finance law by allowing unlimited corporate and union spending in federal elections. The case originated from the conservative organization Citizens …
citizens-unitedcampaign-financecorporate-influenceregulatory-capturesupreme-court+1 more
Analysis of congressional testimony revealed that think tanks funded by corporations and wealthy donors appeared as expert witnesses before congressional committees without disclosing their financial conflicts of interest. Between 2021-2024, 34% of think tank witnesses came from “dark …
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) distributed model bills in 2010 designed to kill regional climate pacts like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in New England and the mid-Atlantic, marking a strategic shift from federal to state-level climate denial efforts. ALEC activist …
American Legislative Exchange CouncilKoch IndustriesExxonMobilClint WoodsRegional Greenhouse Gas Initiative+1 moreclimate-denialaleclegislative-capturefossil-fuelsmodel-legislation+1 more
Dr. Julie Gerberding, who served as CDC Director from 2002-2009, joined Merck as president of the company’s vaccine division shortly after leaving government service. This move sparked significant controversy because during her tenure at the CDC, Gerberding oversaw the agency’s …
Dr. Julie GerberdingCDCMerckGardasil vaccineregulatory-capturecdcpharmaceuticalsrevolving-doorvaccines+1 more
The Obama White House secretly negotiated an $80 billion deal with pharmaceutical industry lobbyists, abandoning the president’s campaign promise to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. White House officials Jim Messina and Rahm Emanuel met with PhRMA CEO Billy Tauzin, agreeing to maintain …
During a critical congressional testimony, Attorney General Eric Holder revealed the Department of Justice’s emerging doctrine of ’too big to jail’, acknowledging that prosecuting certain financial institutions could potentially destabilize the national and global economy. This …
Eric HolderDepartment of JusticeJPMorgan ChaseBank of AmericaCitigroup+2 moreinstitutional-captureregulatory-capturecorruptionfinancial-crisisbank-prosecution+3 more