DOJ, EPA conspire to force companies to donate $880 million to radical environmental groups

For several years now the federal Environmental Protection Agency and Obozo's department of injustice have essentially forced companies to pay money to radical environmentalist groups.

In just the last two years over $880 million has been extorted by this scheme.

It worked like this:  When the EPA or DOJ found a company that had broken one of the zillions of laws or rules on businesses, the agencies would offer to settle by having the company pay a fine of some specified amount.  Virtually all companies took the deal.  But then the details of the settlement--drafted by the federal agencies--would include huge payments to "third parties"--not to the government or to people allegedly injured by the rule-breaking or lawbreaking acts, but to environmental groups.

The agencies would also quietly encourage their allies in enviro and political groups to file lawsuits against 'deep-pocket' companies, which would trigger more payments to the groups from the settlements written by the government agency.

The corruption and abuse of power uncovered by a congressional investigation is appalling:

A year-long Committee investigation [by congress] has revealed that the DOJ is pushing and even requiring settling defendants to donate money to non-victim third-parties.

Donations can earn up to double credit against defendants’ overall payment obligations, while credit for direct relief to consumers is merely dollar-for-dollar.  Moreover, documents show that groups that stood to gain from these mandatory donations lobbied DOJ to include them in settlements.

DOJ has funneled third-party groups as much as $880 million dollars in just the last 2 years. These payments occur entirely outside of the Congressional appropriations and grant oversight process.  In some cases, DOJ-mandated donations restore funding that Congress specifically cut.

If swamps are to be drained, this is an excellent place to start.