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For Immediate Release
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House Judiciary Must Investigate FTC Findings That Implicate Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker

WASHINGTON

The chair of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee in the next Congress should investigate the conduct of Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker in his capacity as an advisory board member for World Patent Marketing (WPM), Public Citizen said in a letter (PDF) sent today.

In May, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concluded that WPM lured hundreds of inventors to pay a total of $26 million for product development and promotion services that it never delivered. According to the letter, the FTC's findings raise numerous questions about misconduct, including materially false statements and intimidation of scam victims. The FTC's findings also raise questions as to whether Whitaker lied or omitted information from federal background checks to obtain his security clearance.

"The nation deserves a person of unquestioned integrity as its chief law enforcer, and until these questions are answered in a satisfactory way, Whitaker's ability to adequately perform the job of Attorney General remains in doubt," the letter reads.

Contact Public Citizen to speak with an expert.

Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that champions the public interest in the halls of power. We defend democracy, resist corporate power and work to ensure that government works for the people - not for big corporations. Founded in 1971, we now have 500,000 members and supporters throughout the country.

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