Suit Alleges Influence Peddling By Private Prison Giant

Law & Crime reports:

The Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) is allegedly turning a blind eye to influence peddling orchestrated by a private prison company which made illegal contributions to a pro-Trump Super PAC. In response, non-partisan public interest watchdog, the Campaign Legal Center (“CLC”) filed a lawsuit against the FEC alleging the agency violated federal law by unlawfully delaying enforcement actions against GEO Group, according to a press release issued today.

GEO Group is one of America’s largest private prison contractors. During the 2016 general election, GEO Group contributed $225,000 to the pro-Trump Super PAC, Rebuilding America Now. In the aftermath of Trump’s election, the president rescinded the Obama-era rule that would have slowly phased out federal private prison contracts. The administration later awarded GEO Group some $110 million as part of a new federal contract to build and administer a 1,000-bed immigration detention center in Conroe, Texas.

Back in October, I reported that the GEO Group had moved its annual convention to the Trump National Doral Resort in Miami. Yep.