Here’s a look at the investigations our team has been pursuing through records requests and Freedom of Information Act litigation in the last week.

Investigations Update: Trump Administration's Occupation of Portland, CDC Hospital Data, and the Republican Convention
In this email:
* New Lawsuit for Information on Pompeo’s Military Housing
* Investigating the Federal Occupation of U.S. Cities
* The Disappearance (and Reappearance) of CDC Hospital Data

[link removed]

Here’s a look at the investigations our team has been pursuing through public records requests in the last week:

New Lawsuit for Information on Pompeo’s Military Housing: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is at the center of an alarmingly long list of allegations of misconduct, including those related to his and his family’s potential misuse of official resources to serve his personal interests and political ambitions. Last week, we sued the Trump administration ([link removed]) for records related to another potentially controversial use of taxpayer money — the secretary’s arrangement to live in military housing.

Getting to the Bottom of State Inspector General Firing: In recent months, Trump has removed or replaced inspectors general across the federal government in what the Washington Post has called a “slow-motion Friday night massacre of inspectors general ([link removed]) .” Among these removals is former State Inspector General Steve Linick, who was reportedly ([link removed]) looking into allegations of misconduct by Secretary Pompeo at the time of Linick’s removal. (See the whistleblower complaint we obtained ([link removed]) this past week that alleges top officials allowed Pompeo’s wrongdoing to continue.) Last week, we filed
([link removed]) FOIA ([link removed]) requests ([link removed]) with the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency for records concerning Linick’s firing.

Investigating the Federal Occupation of U.S. Cities: Our investigation ([link removed]) into governments’ aggressive responses ([link removed]) to this summer’s nationwide racial justice protests has now expanded to include the recent disturbing actions of federal agents in Portland, Ore. According to reports, federal law enforcement agents have been seizing ([link removed]) protesters and denying them due process ([link removed]) , driving in unmarked vehicles and failing to identify themselves. On Monday, President Donald Trump threatened
([link removed]) to deploy officers to additional cities, and sources told CNN ([link removed]) that the administration was preparing to send them to Chicago later this week. We filed FOIA requests to multiple federal agencies for communications ([link removed]) regarding the Portland protests and records ([link removed]) reflecting use-of-force guidelines or deployment orders.

Surveillance Companies and Covid-19: Technology companies have responded to the coronavirus pandemic by offering ([link removed]) surveillance services to federal and local governments to track the spread of Covid-19, but these efforts have raised questions ([link removed];) about data collection and health privacy ([link removed]) . We filed ([link removed]) FOIA ([link removed]) requests ([link removed]) with the Departments of Health and
Human Services and Veterans Affairs for communications and guidance related to such collaboration. We’re also seeking similar communications in California, Florida, Georgia, New York ([link removed]) , and Texas ([link removed]) .

The Disappearance (and Reappearance) of CDC Hospital Data: Last week, HHS announced ([link removed]) that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would no longer collect data about Covid-19 hospitalizations and equipment needs, instead directing hospitals to report the information to HHS. Shortly after the announcement, the CDC briefly removed ([link removed]) live hospital capacity data from its website, restoring it on Thursday with a notice that the data would no longer be updated after July 14. And on Monday, HHS unveiled a new website ([link removed]) with the information. We filed a FOIA request
([link removed]) to HHS for the CDC’s hospital capacity data that had previously been public.

Republican Convention Pandemic Planning: On Monday, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said he has “significant ([link removed]) ” public health concerns about the Republican National Convention planned for next month. Williams raised his concerns even after announcements ([link removed]) last week that Republicans plan to scale back the convention, potentially holding events outdoors ([link removed]) . We filed records requests with the Florida Department of Health ([link removed]) , the Florida Office of the Governor
([link removed]) , and the Jacksonville Mayor’s Office ([link removed]) to learn more about how the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee are preparing for the event with local officials.

Pence’s Wisconsin Visit: In late June, Vice President Mike Pence visited ([link removed]) Waukesha County, Wis., to campaign for Trump’s reelection and to discuss faith and education at a roundtable with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. At the time, county health officials were recommending ([link removed]) that people avoid gatherings of more than 100 people, and earlier this month it was reported that Wisconsin had the fastest-growing infection rate ([link removed]) in the country. We asked Waukesha County officials for records ([link removed]) (including assessments
([link removed]) and communications ([link removed]) ) about Pence’s June visit.

Paycheck Protection Program Communications: As small businesses struggle ([link removed]) under the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, some of the money in the Paycheck Protection Program ([link removed]) has been funneled ([link removed]) to private-equity-backed companies. We filed FOIA requests for the calendars ([link removed]) and communications ([link removed]) of Justin Muzinich, the deputy secretary of the Treasury who was tasked to the Small Business Administration to help with the Paycheck Protection Program, and for his
communications with White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner.
Republican Convention Pandemic Planning: On Monday, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said he has “significant ([link removed]) ” public health concerns about the Republican National Convention planned for next month. Williams raised his concerns even after announcements ([link removed]) last week that Republicans plan to scale back the convention, potentially holding eventsoutdoors ([link removed]) . We filed records requests with the Florida Department of Health ([link removed]) , the Florida Office of the Governor
([link removed]) , and the Jacksonville Mayor’s Office ([link removed]) to learn more about how the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee are preparing for the event with local officials.

Pence’s Wisconsin Visit: In late June, Vice President Mike Pence visited ([link removed]) Waukesha County, Wis., to campaign for Trump’s reelection and to discuss faith and education at a roundtable with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. At the time, county health officials were recommending ([link removed]) that people avoid gatherings of more than 100 people, and earlier this month it was reported that Wisconsin had the fastest-growing infection rate ([link removed]) in the country. We asked Waukesha County officials for records ([link removed]) (including assessments
([link removed]) and communications ([link removed]) ) about Pence’s June visit.

Paycheck Protection Program Communications: As small businesses struggle ([link removed]) under the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, some of the money in the Paycheck Protection Program ([link removed]) has been funneled ([link removed]) to private-equity-backed companies. We filed FOIA requests for the calendars ([link removed]) and communications ([link removed]) of Justin Muzinich, the deputy secretary of the Treasury who was tasked to the Small Business Administration to help with the Paycheck Protection Program, and for his communications
with White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner.

NDA Offered to Cohen: Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer who pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations in support of Trump’s 2016 election, sued ([link removed]) the Justice Department on Monday for his immediate release from prison, to continue serving his sentence at home. According to reports, Cohen was returned to jail ([link removed]) from medical furlough after refusing to sign a document that barred him from publishing books or talking to the press for the duration of his sentence. Cohen’s lawyers claim ([link removed]) that his return to jail is retaliation for drafting a book about the president. We filed a FOIA request ([link removed]) with the Justice Department for the
agreement Cohen reportedly refused to sign.

Chao and McConnell Kentucky Favoritism: Last year, documents uncovered by American Oversight revealed that Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao’s office had created a “special path ([link removed];) ” to process and assist with Kentucky projects, including those favored by her spouse, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Coordination ([link removed]) between their offices reportedly helped move along a $67.4 million grant ([link removed]) application for a project in Boone County, Ky. We filed FOIA requests with the Transportation Department for records ([link removed]) concerning the grant, and for communications
([link removed]) with McConnell’s staff.

To find out more about our work, you can follow us on Twitter at @WeAreOversight ([link removed]) and @ojocorrupcion ([link removed]) , or like us on Facebook ([link removed]) . If you are able, please consider supporting our work with a contribution here ([link removed]) .

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Thank you again for following our latest news. We are grateful for your support and for helping us hold the administration accountable.

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