Dozens of companies get a pass from Trump administration, study finds
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The Trump administration has halted or moved to dismiss investigations and lawsuits involving 89 different corporations, including banks, technology and pharmaceutical companies, according to a new report from the progressive group Public Citizen.
Why it matters: The White House has moved with unusual speed to drop actions that involved consumer, worker and environmental protections.
- Most were initiated by the Biden administration, but a couple started during the first Trump administration.
Reality check: These cases and investigations were ongoing, and their mere existence doesn't mean any laws were broken.
- Actions that are paused or frozen could still be started up again.
- The push to shed lawsuits and investigations also doesn't mean the White House won't be pursuing other enforcement actions.
- Already, the administration announced its intention to pursue companies for their diversity and inclusion policies.
How they did it: Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group that opposes Trump, tracked court filings, government announcements and news reports. It shared that information in a spreadsheet with Axios.
Between the lines: To date, the administration has dropped or paused all kinds of cases against businesses, including investigations into consumer fraud, cases against crypto companies, and civil rights actions alleging race and sex discrimination.
- In some instances, the administration dropped lawsuits, including at least seven filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
- Other actions and investigations at the CFPB, including some that began in the first Trump administration, are now frozen.
- Investigations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act are also paused.
- The Securities and Exchange Commission has also dismissed or paused several cases against crypto companies, including Coinbase and Binance.
The big picture: Opponents argue that moves like these give a green light for corporations to engage in all kinds of chicanery.
- The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the data.
