Washington, D.C. — The House Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing today as part of its political retribution campaign against civil society, featuring witnesses with extremist views and long records of hypocrisy in their attacks on nonprofit organizations.
Ahead of the hearing, Congressional Integrity Project issued the following statement:
“House Republicans scraped the bottom of the barrel to find individuals with the most extreme and discredited records to support their campaign of political retribution against civil society. From praising dictators to sympathizing with hate groups, these so-called ‘witnesses’ are not experts—they are right-wing extremists with no intention of adhering to the truth, willing to say anything to satisfy Trump and his allies as they double down on these sham investigations.
“Today’s hearing is yet another example of the war Republicans in Congress are waging against organizations that support the most vulnerable in our communities. The presence of fringe right-wing activists masquerading as ‘experts’ only makes their sham investigations appear even more unserious. Instead of staging political spectacles to appease Trump, Republicans should explain why they supported stripping health care from millions of Americans and raising taxes on the middle class—while targeting the very organizations working to help those in need.”
Background on Witnesses
The hearing will feature Scott Walter, who has repeatedly criticized “dark money” while his own organization Capital Research Center does not disclose their own funding sources. Walter was featured in the widely discredited election conspiracy film “2000 Mules” that even the film’s creator, Dinesh D’Souza, ultimately admitted was misleading.
Mike Gonzalez says “Hispanic” is an identity “fabricated” by leftist activists, and has said legal immigration is a “threat” to American culture. Despite claiming to oppose government support for nonprofits that engage in “political causes,” Gonzalez has voiced support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s policies, which are widely seen as authoritarian and repressive of civil society.
Tyler O’Neil wrote an entire book criticizing the Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) efforts to target and combat hate groups and said their hate map, which features dozens of neo-nazi, Ku Klux Klan, and antisemitic groups, is “an organ of disinformation.” While he may be willing to testify against American non-profits promoting American values, during O’Neil’s tenure as a leader at The Daily Signal, the outlet, and even O’Neil himself, have routinely praised Viktor Orbán and his policies.
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