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A self-proclaimed watchdog group that has gained notoriety in right-wing circles for its litigation against the Biden administration is largely a phantom. HuffPost reporter Chris D'Angelo revealed that despite its talk of being a champion of transparency, Protect the Public's Trust has misrepresented itself in public records requests targeting Biden cabinet members.
In a May 2021 request to the Department of Energy, PPT called itself “a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with supporters and members of the public who seek a transparent, ethical, and impartial government.” But PPT has never filed the IRS form that's required of 501(c)(3) groups, nor did it provide one to HuffPost, which non-profits are required by law to produce.
After HuffPost asked PPT about its nonprofit status, the group changed the description at the top of its Facebook page from “nonprofit organization” to “Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).”
The group is headed by Michael Chamberlain, a former Trump administration official who worked on the Trump campaign in 2016 and featured a photo of himself with President Trump on his Facebook profile.
Despite having no discernable paper trail or business records in Washington D.C. or neighboring states, PPT appears to be well-funded, filing dozens of lawsuits targeting the Biden administration, including numerous Interior department officials. The address PPT lists as its headquarters is home to a check cashing and office supply storefront.
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I was happy the way life was. But then they said this is not a good life. The white man pointed to his chest. He said, ‘Do you want to be like me?’”
