CREW requests Office of Legal Policy communications on Gorsuch with dark money groups

CREW requests:

1. All communications between individuals with an email address containing @judicialnetwork.com and the Office of Legal Policy between January 31 and April 7, 2017;
2. All communications between individuals with an email address containing @americanactionnetwork.org and the Office of Legal Policy between January 31 and April 7, 2017;
3. All communications between individuals with an email address containing @greatamericaalliance.com and the Office of Legal Policy between January 31 and April 7, 2017;
4. All communications between individuals with an email address containing @americafirstpolicies.org and the Office of Legal Policy between January 31 and April 7, 2017; and
5. All communications between 45Committee officers Brian Walsh, Brian Baker, Sara Fagen, Randy Scheunemann, Matt Well, or Maria Wojciechowski and the Office of Legal Policy between January 31, and April 7, 2017.
6. All communications between 45Committee officers Brian Walsh, Brian Baker, Sara Fagen, Randy Scheunemann, Matt Well, or Maria Wojciechowski and the Office of the Attorney General between February 8, 2017, and the present.

On July 7, 2017, MapLight journalists reported that Washington lobbyist Rob Collins claims in his professional biography that he “quarterbacked” then-nominee to the Supreme Court Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation process by contacting, among other offices, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”). Collins has served as a director for a section 501(c)(4) non-profit group, 45Committee, at least as recently as January. Several section 501(c)(4) non-profit groups sponsored television ads supporting Judge Gorsuch’s confirmation, and 45Committe also sponsored ads supporting confirmation of then-nominee Jeff Sessions to the office of attorney general. These facts suggest outside groups supporting  Judge Gorsuch’s confirmation may have had contacts with the DOJ.

The requested records could inform the public about how closely dark money groups work with government agencies, and how much authority the groups and their unknown backers have with public officials.