"Every year, throughout the United States, thousands of citizens are being abused by a growingly authoritarian federal government. The sheer volume of federal statutes and regulations that carry criminal penalties means that every American could be considered a criminal by federal authorities for one thing or another. Unfortunately, most people do not take the time to consider the issue of overcriminalization until they are at the receiving end of a federal subpoena. In order to combat this epidemic of overcriminalization, legislators, bureaucrats, and other decision makers must recognize the scope of this issue and begin by plucking the lowest hanging fruit to address it."

Welcome to FreedomWorks’ latest blog series, Trump Appointee of the Week! From now until Election Day, we will highlight one of President Trump’s political appointees and their accomplishments. Check back every other week for the next edition and let us know who you want to see named the next Trump Appointee of the Week!

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is under fire for visiting a hair salon in San Francisco in violation of a city ordinance. Hair salons have been shut down in San Francisco since March but opened on September 1 for outdoor business. Pelosi visited on Monday, a day before the scheduled reopening. Video of her visit, released by the store owner, shows the Speaker walking around inside the salon without a mask covering her face, also in violation of city ordinance.

On Wednesday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released separate reports on the ten-year budget outlook and the financial outlook for major federal trust funds. The reports show the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, the failure of Congress to responsibly manage federal spending, and the cost of doing nothing to put federal entitlement programs on a sustainable financial path.

On behalf of FreedomWorks’ activist community, I urge you to contact your representative and ask him or her to cosponsor the Federal Reserve Sunshine Act, H.R. 8007, introduced by Reps. Mark Green (R-T.N.) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii). This bill would simply eliminate the provision of the recently-passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that allows the Federal Reserve to hold closed-door meetings about its newly-created $450 billion bailout fund, which is more vital now than ever as we continue to observe the alarming lack of transparency that has come along with the Federal Reserve’s new authorities.

Welcome to the new and improved Regulatory Action Center (RAC) Review! RAC proudly keeps you up to date on what we’re up to and what we’re keeping our eyes on here in the swamp. We offer resources for you to get involved in the rulemaking process to hold unelected bureaucrats accountable and occasionally offer praise in the event they have a good impulse. We will also highlight the incredible work our activists have done to advance the principles of smaller government, lower taxes, free markets, personal liberty, and the rule of law. For more ways to get involved and stay informed, check the links at the bottom of this post.