Topic: Business and Economic Policy

USDA Officials’ Communications with Entities Linked to Secretary Perdue’s Family Business

August 16, 2020
Communications from the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsive to American Oversight's request for emails between Rural Development and Farm Service Agency officials for Georgia, and entities associated with Secretary Sonny Perdue’s family business interests. These communications span 2017 to 2019.

FOIA to USDA Seeking FSA Director’s Communications with Mountaire

August 13, 2020
FOIA request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) seeking USDA Delaware Farm Service Agency Executive Director Sean McKeon’s communications with Mountaire Farms, Inc.

Investigations Update: Covid-19 Medical Supplies Lawsuit, Rio Grande Valley Outbreak, and Operation Legend

August 11, 2020
The latest in our investigations of the Trump administration's pandemic coordination with states, the deployment of federal agents to cities, and other issues.
(Photo: Shutterstock)

ORR to Kentucky Secretary of State for Communications with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Office

August 11, 2020
Records request to the office of the Kentucky Secretary of State seeking communications with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office.

FOIA to Multiple Agencies Seeking Former Rep. Hensarling’s Emails with Former Staffers

August 10, 2020
FOIA request to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of the Treasury seeking former House Financial Services Committee Chair Jeb Hensarling’s email communications with former staffers now working in financial regulatory agencies.

No Records Response from FCC Regarding White House Communications

August 5, 2020
The Federal Communications Commission stated that it had no records responsive to American Oversight's request for communications between top officials and representatives of the White House or Council of Economic Advisors for the time period spanning February 13, 2020 to February 28, 2020.

No Records Response from FCC Regarding 2020 Economic Report of the President

August 5, 2020
The Federal Communications Commission stated it had no records in response to our request for communications from top officials pertaining to the 2020 Economic Report of the President, which included estimates of the supposed economic benefits of repealing net neutrality.

Investigations Update: DHS Intelligence Efforts in Portland, the Politicization of Key Government Agency, and the Pandemic’s Impact on Census

August 4, 2020
Our latest investigations into the federal response to nationwide protests, political interference in the 2020 census, and other issues.
(Photo: Mia Bush/VOA)

Political Interference at the U.S. Postal Service

August 4, 2020
For years, former President Donald Trump’s attacks on the U.S. Postal Service were a product of his problematic insistence on viewing the agency as a business rather than an essential public service. But as the coronavirus pandemic forced more Americans to rely on absentee voting to participate in democracy, those attacks represented a danger not just to low-cost mail delivery, but to voting rights as well.
(Photo: Shutterstock)

No Records Response from DHS for Communications with Charles Johnson or Palmer Luckey

August 4, 2020
DHS found no responsive records to American Oversight's FOIA request (DHS-17-0183) for communications between DHS officials and Charles Johnson or Palmer Luckey regarding the border wall.