Together Politicause and Pledge Assistance earned close to $20 million between January 2017 through mid-2019 raising money for PACS, campaign finance records show. Congressional Review Act. One FAQ, given to callers at Politicause and reviewed by Reuters, shaped the fundraising pitch for asuper PAC called the American Coalition for Injured Veterans. Weintraub and a fellow Democratic commissioner wrote a memo to that effect in 2016. Here it would be virtually impossible for the consumer to do any research, he said. The rules we adopt today create a streamlined process by which a private entity may submit information about suspected robocall and spoofing violations directly to the Bureau via an online portal located on the FCC website. shall send daily Federal Register on FederalRegister.gov will remain an unofficial FAIRFAX, Va., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Committee for Police Officers' Defense, the political arm of Police Officers' Defense Coalition, recently launched a . We also clarify that a public entity is any governmental organization at the federal, state, or local level. not individual consumers) about robocalls and spoofing best aligns with the TRACED Act requirement. (c) Compliance dateparagraph (a) of this section contains a voluntary information collection. This PDF is 24. daniel.stepanicich@fcc.gov. Neither he nor other officials at his company returned requests for comment. The committees treasurer, attorney Chris Marston, told Reuters the purpose of the PAC was to raise money in support of candidates who would help police and firefighters., Im sure the [call] scripts didnt misrepresent anything, Marston said. Twilio recommends that the Commission create one centralized mechanism for reporting all information regarding robocalling and spoofing, whether it is from a whistleblower, company, or consumer. would create consumer confusion and duplicate existing Commission robocall information collection efforts. on How Scam PACs fall through the cracks of U.S. regulators, The motto was, Leave your morals at the door, said Alexander Lefler, 21, who worked for nearly a year at a call center southeast of Birmingham, Alabama, describing what he saw as high-pressure and deceptive tactics. We enforce federal competition and consumer protection laws that prevent anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices. documents in the last year, 20 We agree with the commenters and therefore exclude individual natural persons from the definition of private entity. In the The callers said theyd already honed their charity pitches and so found it easy to repurpose them for the political committees, appealing to patriotism and what one called pulling heartstrings.. Our mission is protecting consumers and competition by preventing anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices through law enforcement, advocacy, and education without unduly burdening legitimate business activity. Register documents. ) on December 8, 2020, proposing to establish a streamlined process for private entities to submit information about robocall violations to the Commission. There should be more transparency on this to protect consumers, he said. documents in the last year, 282 We are appalled at the events that culminated in the storming of the U.S. Capitol, the company said in a statement. for better understanding how a document is structured but Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 Analysis. 2. In Montgomery County, Maryland, the consumer protection office recently won a settlement against a super PAC called Heroes United, run by Zachary Bass of Baltimore. It also has roots in charity fundraising. Mailing address: 8228 FAWN MEADOW AVE LAS VEGAS, NV 89149. And, as he has been saying since moments after seeing news break, the violence and destruction we saw at the U.S. Capitol is unacceptable and un-American.. Accordingly, Caller name: Committee for Police Officer's Defense. the Federal Register. While every effort has been made to ensure that Like many such telemarketing centers tucked away in strip malls or office parks, it offered no clues to what went on inside. 5. This feature is not available for this document. . documents in the last year, 663 The Commission will send a copy of this Report and Order to Congress and the Government Accountability Office pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Its infuriating, said Angelides, who learned from Reuters that it was a PAC that got his money. to the courts under 44 U.S.C. daniel.stepanicich@fcc.gov. The portal is also available for use by private entities that have had their number(s) spoofed. better and aid in comparing the online edition to the print edition. At Politicause, for instance, some said they initially were told to say donations would be used to help buy new police and fire equipment. Caller type: Scammer/Fraudster. 47 U.S.C. announcing that compliance date and revising this paragraph accordingly. 12. Black's Law Dictionary defines entity as [a]n organization (such as a business or a governmental unit) that has a legal identity apart from its members or owners. Second, we find that, as a policy matter, we should exclude individuals from the definition of private entity as the term is used in section 10(a) of the TRACED Act. This new portal will not affect the process by which a consumer submits an informal complaint about a robocall or spoofed call, using the long-standing process located on the Commission's homepage. that the Commission Zeitlin did not respond to questions about this issue. About 82% of the money, $13.8 million, went to Zeitlins firms, while Piaro collected $190,613 in salary from the PACs, according to the records. Our PAC contributions to both the Republican and Democratic Attorneys General associations were used strictly for attorneys generals campaign purposes, the spokesperson said in a statement. Sara Kemerer of the . Start Printed Page 52843 Some tips for consumers: Listen carefully for the name of the organization. Thats what critics call political action committees that gobble up most of the money they raise rather than using it forthe charitable or other causes they profess to support. We also have a process for obtaining information from certain public entities: Federal and state law enforcement agencies routinely coordinate with the Enforcement Bureau about robocall and caller ID spoofing enforcement and mitigation efforts. To protect law enforcement methods and techniques, we decline to adopt SAFE Credit Union's suggestion to detail the exact steps and criteria that the Bureau will use to evaluate the information submitted. a copy of this Report and Order Rulemaking, including the Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration. In the 2 year period examined by Reuters, records show, TPFE and three other Zeitlin firms earned more than $27.6 million for PAC fundraising. on Information about this document as published in the Federal Register. documents in the last year, 122 Federal Register issue. On September 1, 2009, new FTC rules went into effect prohibiting most prerecorded telemarketing calls, commonly known as robocalls, unless the telemarketer has the consumers prior written authorization to transmit such calls. Baker said his employees never try to dupe donors and that he cant control what his clients, the PACs, do with the money he raises. These markup elements allow the user to see how the document follows the But Lee Goodman, an election lawyer and former commissioner who is a Republican, said its dangerous for the government to decide which committees are scams based on how much they spend on causes. 2021-14711 Filed 9-22-21; 8:45 am], updated on 4:15 PM on Friday, March 3, 2023, updated on 8:45 AM on Friday, March 3, 2023, 105 documents We agree with commenters that including individuals within the definition of private entity would undermine the intent of the statute to streamline information collection about robocalls and spoofed calls, and would create confusion for consumers about whether to use the existing informal complaint process or the new portal, or both. It is not an official legal edition of the Federal Alex Angelides, a 31-year-old engineer from Arlington, Virginia, donated $600to a superPAC called For a Better America, which spent 90% of its money on fundraising alone. Authority delegations (Government agencies). Even as they charmed millions from credulous donors, a dozen former callers for two major fundraisers told Reuters that they knew their companies would be keeping the vast majority of it. accessible format documents, sign language interpreters, CART, etc. Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business. Those calls used a recording of Trump's . The portal is available for use by private entities that wish to submit information about suspected robocall or spoofing violations. In recent years, some telemarketers have used technology to bombard consumers with hundreds of millions of prerecorded calls that are often unwanted and frequently deceptive. Reuters Investigates offers several ways to securely contact our reporters. A private entity cannot determine whether a call violated the TCPA or the Truth in Caller ID Actthis determination is left to the Commission, an action brought by state law enforcement, or a judicial outcome from a private right of action. Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis. A website set up to promote the rally that preceded the Capitol incursion lists the Rule of Law Defense Fund as one of the participating organizations. A JPMorgan spokesperson said its political action committee donated $25,000 to the attorneys general group and none of it went to the Rule of Law Defense Fund. 151, 152, 154, 201, 202, 217, 218, 220, 222, 225, 226, 227, 227b, 228, 251(a), 251(e), 254(k), 262, 276, 403(b)(2)(B), (c), 616, 620, 1401-1473, unless otherwise noted, Pub. Callers told Reuters they easily made the switch, working in the same buildings, for the same bosses, using similar scripts. Lisa Cavazuti is an investigative reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit. Amend 0.111 by redesignating paragraph (j) as paragraph (k) and revising it and by adding new paragraph (j) to read as follows: (j) Collects and reviews information received from private entities related to violations of 64.1200(a) and 64.1604(a) of this chapter. Police Officers' Defense Coalition and Committee for Police Officers' Defense is committed to cleaning up the annals of justice by flushing out those who pretend to represent the people, but instead manipulate the system and the prosecute police officers as a stepping stone to their next higher political office. Drug abuse was a problem at both call centers, ex-employees said. Demonstrators attempt to breach the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. It is further ordered Police officer's scam robocall warning goes viral The "GMA" team of insiders analyzes some of the biggest stories trending this morning. If PACs spend nearly all of their money on fundraising and salaries, fundraisers can say they their motives were sincere and it costs money to raise money, he said. Federal Register 03/03/2023, 159 Bass set up five super PACs allegedly dedicated to a range of causes including veterans and firefighters. During today's hearing, the Committee heard from local law enforcement, the U.S. Looking for legal documents or records? In addition, we note that pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, we previously sought specific comment on how the Commission might further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. Furthermore, we agree with commenters that the Bureau should protect the confidentiality of information submitted through the portal, especially because the data may include personally identifiable information or customer proprietary network information. by the Foreign Assets Control Office Jan. 8, 2021, 5:36 PM PST. and services, go to 14. For further information, contact Daniel Stepanicich, Attorney, Telecommunications Consumers Division, Enforcement Bureau, at (202) 418-7451 or 503, 132 Stat 348, 1091. 27. that agencies use to create their documents. . But she said the panel has been paralyzed by partisan divisions and, more recently, a lack of a quorum. Baker said he founded Salt Lake City fundraising firm American Public Resource because he hoped to support worthy goals like helping veterans.The firm was paid nearly $3 million from 2017 through mid-2019 for its work raising money for PACS that spent anywhere from 0% to 7% on their promoted causes. 03/03/2023, 43 We amend our rules to establish a streamlined process for private entities to submit information about violations of Sections 227(b) and 227(e) of the Act to the Commission. We kind of all understood what we were doing was wrong, but I needed a place to live.. establishing the XML-based Federal Register as an ACFR-sanctioned Fundraisers are seeing this is just another easy way to make a buck.. The portal will request private entities to submit certain minimum information including, but not necessarily limited to, the name of the reporting private entity, contact information, including at least one individual name and means of contacting the entity ( The President of the United States communicates information on holidays, commemorations, special observances, trade, and policy through Proclamations. In addition, public entities often contact Enforcement Bureau staff directly about robocalling and spoofing matters. . the official SGML-based PDF version on govinfo.gov, those relying on it for We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition. That goal is to help police officers fight against the continuing "War on Cops" by taking a varied political stance against politicians, activist judges, prosecutors, district attorneys and a host of others who try to bring police officers down by any means. The Commission has determined, and the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, concurs that this rule is non-major under the Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. Use of the portal is completely voluntary and we impose no new requirements on small businesses. [FR Doc. Federal election laws were designed to prevent corruption, he said, not to protect consumers.. documents in the last year, 822 electronic version on GPOs govinfo.gov. 3. The authority citation for part 64 continues to read as follows: Authority: the current document as it appeared on Public Inspection on They often are set up as super PACs, groups which in recent years have been empowered by the courts to raise and spend money in unlimited amounts, with little regulation. on NARA's archives.gov. Private entity submissions of robocall violations. She is based in Washington. We have told them many times to stop calling us, one person contacted by Politicause complained to the FTC in April 2019, noting that the household was on a Do Not Call list. The current informal consumer complaint process is a vital tool for the Commission. The Commission's Enforcement Bureau (Bureau) will monitor the portal. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. documents in the last year, by the Executive Office of the President And the groups they were raising money for werent charities at all, but political action committees, which normally are set up to gather funds for candidates or political causes. The company later was renamed Politicause. I have directed an internal review of this matter.. I cant speak to peoples understanding or what the scripts said., I dont think you understand how hard it is to fundraise. When organizations operate as political action committees, however, they are not subject to the laws governing charity fundraising, according to federal and state regulators and telemarketing industry officials. This robocall tip line will provide a streamlined process for reporting potential violations, and will enable the Enforcement Bureau to respond quickly to disruptive robocalling events. For example, in two enforcement actions, a medical paging company was a key source; it informed the Bureau that the paging company's phone lines were being bombarded by spoofed robocalls. Robocallers have apparently been using the name of a former Abilene City Councilman/Abilene businessman to try to entice people to give to a fake police charity. In return for tax-exempt status, charities generally must register with states, disclose their key employees and account for how the money is spent in some cases by providing audited financial statements. Going byvarious names, the fundraising operation has worked for some of the same PACs as Zeitlins firms have and has employed some of the same people, according to internal PAC records, state corporate filings, employee interviews and deposition testimony in a civil case unrelated to this article. The Do Not Call law, the FTCs major weapon in policing telemarketing, does not apply to political calls, which have protections under the U.S. Constitution. Two of the fundraising companies identified by Reuters employed jail inmates and ex-cons as telemarketers, according to interviews in Alabama with several former employees, as well as court records. It is further ordered A spokesperson for the Republican Attorneys General Association did not address questions about the robocall but sought to distance the organization from the event. Congress did not define private entity in the TRACED Act. provide legal notice to the public or judicial notice to the courts. documents in the last year, 36 25. i.e., Commenters were concerned that the definition proposed in the of the issuing agency. on This definition is consistent with common usage. If you are using public inspection listings for legal research, you We interpret section 10(a) of the TRACED Act to encompass suspected or alleged violations of section 227(b) or section 227(e) as the most natural reading the of the statute. The Bureau will review information submitted through the portal to assess violations of the rules in the same manner that it reviews information submitted to the Commission through other means. In interviews, a dozen former employees of Politicause and Zeitlins TPFE described techniques they used to wrangle donations, leaving contributors with the impression they were giving to good causes. While in the Shelby County Jail on a felony charge of stealing a truck, Dellinger said he began working at a center in suburban Birmingham then known as Charity Promotions as part of his government-sponsored work release program. The Report and Order contains new or modified information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). documents in the last year, 11 SOURCE: National Consumer Law Center, Federal Trade Commission. This is a summary of the Commission's Report and Order, in EB Docket No. Aside from the lions share that went to for-profit fundraisers, many of the PAC operators took a slice for salaries and overhead. Even so, Reuters identified a loose network of fundraising companies and PACs that quickly grew into a money-making force, with some ranking near the top fundraisers in the period stretching from January 2017 through mid-2019. 7. A 5 On Your Side viewer got one of those calls recently, asking him to support the National. Commenters suggested that the Commission consolidate the new portal and its existing informal consumer complaint process, which the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau administers, or better distinguish the two processes by defining private entity to exclude consumers. are not part of the published document itself. documents in the last year, by the Coast Guard The stance of the protestors was not consistent with Attorney General Carrs position on election fraud. It is a way for them to get around the charity laws thats exactly what theyre doing, said Stuart Discount, chief executive of the Professional Association for Customer Engagement, a trade association for direct marketers. 47 U.S.C. People with Disabilities. 16. All persons are required to submit truthful and accurate statements to the Commission. documents in the last year, 940 we proposed to include individuals in the definition of private entity but sought comment on the proposed interpretation, and whether there was a basis for a different interpretation of the term. James Dellinger, 34, said he and other callers got in the door with a remarkable qualification they were in jail.