Obama Used DOJ to Extort Billions for Liberal Organizations; Innocent Victims Got Nothing

The DOJ has been extorting money from large corporations under the Obama administration for far too long. Instead of paying out to the victims, money is funneled to liberal organizations. But, these actions have come to light through a congressional investigation, and the discovery is not getting swept under the rug.

It’s clear partisan politics played a role in the illicit actions that were made,” Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, told Fox News. “The DOJ is the last place this should have occurred.”

Investigators have accounted for $3 billion paid to “non-victim” entities. Republicans are making an effort to eliminate the practice. Perhaps this is why many liberal groups voiced such strong opposition to the confirmation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions?

The underlying problem with the slush funds is we don’t know exactly where the money is going,” Ted Frank, director of The Competitive Enterprise Institute Center for Class Action Fairness, told Fox News. “Using enforcement authority to go after corporate defendants, DOJ bureaucrats are taking billions away from taxpayers to fund their pet projects overriding congressional preferences.”

Because the settlements do not specify how these third-party non-victim groups will use the money, there is no accountability for where the money goes, how it is spent, who benefits from it, or which pockets are lined!

Frank argues that the money should go to the Treasury Department and that this current DOJ practice undermines the legislative branch’s necessary spending power. Of course, the Justice Department claims this money is not required to go through Treasury because these donations by the corporations are strictly voluntary. Yea, right!

So, who is benefits? Here is just a sample of organizations that have received money under the guise of a third-party non-victim:

1. HUD Housing Counseling – Though Congress allotted $47 million to them in FY16, the Citi and Bank of America ponied up another $30 million in funding.
2. The Legal Services Corporation – In FY16, this group was allocated $385 million from Congress to distribute to 133 providers of legal services across the country. Of course, this wasn’t enough. Those same providers, as well as others, were allowed to apply for funds from a $412 million dollar settlement with Bank of America.
3. Zero emission technology – A recent Volkswagen settlement requires a $1.2 billion investment into zero emission technology (Obama’s baby).

Also receiving settlement funds include the National Council of La Raza, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, and the National Urban League. Among these groups, the NCRC has a questionable history of promoting illegal immigrants and advocating for benefits and driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants.

Though previous legislation to stop this DOJ practice has gone nowhere, a renewed sense of action has sparked with companion bills in both the House and the Senate.

Democrats thought it was an attack on Obama,” said Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., speaking to Fox News. “This is not a Republican or Democrat issue, but one of good government. Actions settled by the federal government should go back to the federal government, back to the taxpayer.”

Lankford has introduced the Stop Settlement Slush Fund Act of 2017 while House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., submitted similar legislation in the House.

“Congress must permanently end the abuses Obama’s Justice Department exploited to use settlements to funnel money to their liberal friends,” Goodlatte said in a statement.

One can only hope this corruption comes to an end swiftly. A new Attorney General and the potential for new legislation do lend to an optimistic outlook.

Source:  Fox News