The company later was renamed Politicause. . Its the only thing in life Ive ever been (expletive) good at, said Armstrong, who records show has theft and drug convictions. headings within the legal text of Federal Register documents. Postal Service (USPS), a telecommunications industry expert, and a relative of a robocall scam victim. For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal Communications Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR parts 0 and 64 as follows: 1. Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official it is ordered Federal Do Not Call rules do not apply to political or nonprofit fundraising. Date Blocked March 12, 2022 Call Activity Low Last detected 10 months ago Block this robocall and over 6,210,974 more! Demonstrators attempt to enter the U.S. Capitol during a protest on Jan. 6, 2021. Listen; Transcript I'm glad you picked up I'll get my answer machine voice ready. In interviews, a dozen former employees of Politicause and Zeitlins TPFE described techniques they used to wrangle donations, leaving contributors with the impression they were giving to good causes. ), send an email to to the courts under 44 U.S.C. Richard Zeitlin, the biggest fundraiser in the loose network identified by Reuters, told a reporter in a brief interview that he had closed down all of his call centers, saying I wanted a change in direction. Asked about ex-employees claims of deception in his companies PAC fundraising practices, he declined to discuss specifics. Robocalls and the Do Not Call Registry. Fundraisers are seeing this is just another easy way to make a buck.. The callers said theyd already honed their charity pitches and so found it easy to repurpose them for the political committees, appealing to patriotism and what one called pulling heartstrings.. 727-351-8757 - Committee For Police Officer's Defense - CallerCenter Like many such telemarketing centers tucked away in strip malls or office parks, it offered no clues to what went on inside. (b) For the purposes of this section, the term private entity shall mean any entity other than a natural individual person or a public entity. website. This PDF is When she later realized it was a PAC telemarketer, she felt exploited. Consumers, meanwhile, should continue to submit individual complaints about unwanted robocalls and spoofed calls that they receive through the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau's informal consumer complaint process. As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended (RFA), the Commission has prepared a Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) relating to this Report and Order. Federal Register All said they thought they were giving to a charity. on developer tools pages. Twilio recommends that the Commission create one centralized mechanism for reporting all information regarding robocalling and spoofing, whether it is from a whistleblower, company, or consumer. documents in the last year, by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The OFR/GPO partnership is committed to presenting accurate and reliable Police officers defense back. or to request reasonable accommodations ( Organizationally and individually, we strongly condemn and disavow the events which occurred., One of its members, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, attended the rally and spoke to the crowd, saying, We will not quit fighting., Following the Capitol invasion, he tweeted, I am sorely disappointed today in the certification of the election, but I dont believe violence is the answer.. The Federal Trade Commission, which is responsible for policing telemarketing, generally has no jurisdiction over political fundraising, said Lois Greisman, an associate director in charge of the agencys marketing practices division. The full text of this document is available for public inspection online at Some tips for consumers: Listen carefully for the name of the organization. POLICE OFFICERS DEFENSE ALLIANCE PAC. What is wrong with giving somebody a second chance? Zeitlin responded when Reuters asked about his hiring practices. The Cherokee Nation Businesses LLC, which donated $150,000 in 2020, said it has requested an immediate refund of its sponsorship to the Republican Attorneys General Association, and the organization obliged. The PACs examined for this article typically handed over less than 10% of their take sometimes less than 1% to candidates or causes, Reuters found. 03/03/2023, 1465 While we encourage private entities to make use of the registered consortium's resources, we decline to mandate that private entities must coordinate with the consortium prior to submitting information to the Commission. Start Printed Page 52842 15. Neither he nor other officials at his company returned requests for comment. The authority citation for part 0 continues to read as follows: Authority: USTelecom requests that we encourage private entities to first coordinate with the registered traceback consortium prior to filing information in the portal. The authority citation for part 64 continues to read as follows: Authority: Earlier this week, we spoke out alongside others in the business community regarding the violence that unfolded at the U.S. Capitol.. daniel.stepanicich@fcc.gov. The FRFA is set forth in Appendix C. 18. The current informal consumer complaint process is a vital tool for the Commission. We are appalled and condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms and have communicated that to RAGA. At 1 p.m., we will march to the Capitol building and call on Congress to stop the steal, said the voice on the recording, which was obtained by NBC News. And the groups they were raising money for werent charities at all, but political action committees, which normally are set up to gather funds for candidates or political causes. Spot the latest COVID scams, get compliance guidance, and stay up to date on FTC actions during the pandemic. Caller name: Committee for Police Officer's Defense. Register documents. that the Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Reference Information Center, Learn more here. Federal Register issue. An arm of the Republican Attorneys General Association, a national group representing the top law enforcement officers in their states, sent out robocalls encouraging people to march to the U.S. Capitol the day before the building was stormed by a pro-Trump mob. 9. The Better Business Bureau says if anyone calls or knocks asking you to help the police, the best thing you can do is ask them for information before you agree to donate. Rather, they and their fundraisers present the PACs as charities, suggesting they support veterans, firefighters or victims of deadly diseases, for instance. Both Politicause and TPFE had procedures to keep workers with fraud convictions from handling credit card information, former callers said, although Politicause workers said the rules were sometimes relaxed for high performers. Through interviews with the former callers and donors, reviews of call scripts and visits to threecall centers in Alabama, Reuters has obtained rare access into the world of these for-profit fundraisers, a tiny but lucrative niche of the multi-billion-dollar U.S. telemarketing industry. Many companies that donated to the Republican Attorneys General Association also gave to the Democratic Party equivalent. In the 2 year period examined by Reuters, records show, TPFE and three other Zeitlin firms earned more than $27.6 million for PAC fundraising. Treasurer: POLLOCK, KECIA MARIE. P, sec. Scam PACs tend to slip through gaps among agencies that govern elections, charities and telemarketing, regulators say, leaving consumers exposed to misleading or fraudulent pitches. It was viewed 36 times while on Public Inspection. In the Zeitlin told Reuters he was not the target of the grand jury investigation. We agree with the commenters and therefore exclude individual natural persons from the definition of private entity. The Report and Order contains new or modified information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Pepsi and the NRA did not respond to requests for comment. ) on December 8, 2020, proposing to establish a streamlined process for private entities to submit information about robocall violations to the Commission. More Reuters investigations and long-form narratives, Got a confidential news tip? 23. Thus we adopt SAFE Credit Union's suggestion that the portal clearly explain its purpose and intended use. To that end, the new portal's home page will include prominent language that not only explains its purpose and use, but also distinguishes that portal from the existing informal consumer complaint process so as to minimize possible confusion. We had no knowledge of RAGAs association with the Rule of Law fund or any connection in the January 6 insurrectionists storm on the U.S. Capitol, spokesperson Brandon Scott said in a statement. NPRM They are looking for naturals, said Jones, adding that good performers could take home $1,000 to $1,500 a week. In addition, public entities often contact Enforcement Bureau staff directly about robocalling and spoofing matters. We enforce federal competition and consumer protection laws that prevent anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices. A Pro-Trump scam PAC returns with a vengeance - POLITICO Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format, etc.) . Some telemarketers who claim to be raising money for causes like homeless veterans and cancer victims work for political action committees (PACs), not charities, and keep much of the money they raise. (k) Perform such other functions as may be assigned or referred to it by the Commission. 16. It is further ordered An official website of the United States government. The data in turn informs the Commission's policy work, serves as a deterrent to companies the Commission regulates and contributes to consumer protection efforts. Two of the fundraising companies identified by Reuters employed jail inmates and ex-cons as telemarketers, according to interviews in Alabama with several former employees, as well as court records. They called 4 times in one day. Use our visualizations to explore scam and fraud trends in your state based on reports from consumers like you. 4. SOURCE: National Consumer Law Center, Federal Trade Commission. Federal election laws were designed to prevent corruption, he said, not to protect consumers.. Elsewhere in the Communications Act, however, Congress used the term person to include individuals and organizational entities. The portal is available for use by private entities that wish to submit information about suspected robocall or spoofing violations. Consumers are already served by the existing informal complaint intake process, and the TRACED Act gives no indication that Congress intended to upset or replace that process. Use of the portal is completely voluntary and we impose no new requirements on small businesses. All persons are required to submit truthful and accurate statements to the Commission. I dont think you understand how hard it is to fundraise, said Forrest Sandusky Baker IV, a telemarketing professional. The Committee for Police Officers Defense is run by James J. Fotis, who is a retired New York Police officer, who ran unsuccessfully in 2007 for Sheriff of Manassas City / Manassas Park City / Prince William County. Committee for Police Officers' Defense Launches Petition in Support of We are proud to say its a 90-10 split, Jones recalled saying, leaving out that his company was getting the 90% share. Police Officer Defense Alliance - Better Business Bureau It also has roots in charity fundraising. Register (ACFR) issues a regulation granting it official legal status. The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau also forwards complaints to the Enforcement Bureau, which may use them to pursue enforcement actions. Victor J. This feature is not available for this document. They said to pitch it like it was a charity but as quietly and quickly as you can, slip in that it was a PAC, said Lefler, who worked at TPFE until March. Box 663 Butler, WI 53007 Visit Website (833) 878-5783 Average of 30. Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Our PAC contributions to both the Republican and Democratic Attorneys General associations were used strictly for attorneys generals campaign purposes, the spokesperson said in a statement. 21. 154(i), 154(j), and 227, and section 10(a) of the Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act, Public Law 116-105, 133 Stat. documents in the last year, by the Coast Guard WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today issued the following statement after the Senate overwhelmingly approved the bipartisan Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act.The bill will now be sent to the president's desk to be signed into law: None of the three managers Reuters was able to identify could be reached for comment. In addition, we note that pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, we previously sought specific comment on how the Commission might further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. Reuters also could not ascertain the ownership of another large fundraising operation with a call center in Hoover, Alabama, some 45 miles from Zeitlins center in Sylacauga. Those calls used a recording of Trump's . It will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under section 3507(d) of the PRA. The Republican Attorneys General Association raised more than $18 million in 2020 from several top corporations, including Pepsi, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase and Comcast, the parent company of NBC News. 05/04/2018 05:04 AM EDT. 14. 151, 152, 154, 201, 202, 217, 218, 220, 222, 225, 226, 227, 227b, 228, 251(a), 251(e), 254(k), 262, 276, 403(b)(2)(B), (c), 616, 620, 1401-1473, unless otherwise noted, Pub. provide legal notice to the public or judicial notice to the courts. 17. Former callers at both TPFE and Politicause said they were given scripts and FAQs that required them to mention that the groups were political action committees but were told by managers to glide past the disclosures about who was calling and how the money would be used. L. 115-141, Div. would create consumer confusion and duplicate existing Commission robocall information collection efforts. 151, 154(i), 154(j), 155, 225, and 409, unless otherwise noted. At the time Reuters visited, the firms Hoover call center was jammed with desks and callers on headsets. In such cases, the Enforcement Bureau will forward such consumer complaints to the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. the current document as it appeared on Public Inspection on NPRM The calls, which often target elderly donors, come from a variety of generic and similar-sounding aliases: The Police Officers Support Association, the National Emergency Responders Coalition and. We amend our rules to establish a streamlined process for private entities to submit information about violations of Sections 227(b) and 227(e) of the Act to the Commission. House, Senate announce agreement on anti-robocall bill Commenters raise concerns that the new streamlined portal will create consumer confusion or duplicate current processes. Listen Transcript Hello, good evening. documents in the last year, 11 During today's hearing, the Committee heard from local law enforcement, the U.S. In this Issue, Documents In recent years, some telemarketers have used technology to bombard consumers with hundreds of millions of prerecorded calls that are often unwanted and frequently deceptive. How Scam PACs fall through the cracks of U.S. regulators, The motto was, Leave your morals at the door, said Alexander Lefler, 21, who worked for nearly a year at a call center southeast of Birmingham, Alabama, describing what he saw as high-pressure and deceptive tactics. Lisa Cavazuti is an investigative reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit. Coffee is for Closers Only, read another. This site displays a prototype of a Web 2.0 version of the daily You are not lying, but you are being extremely misleading. that agencies use to create their documents. Further Information. 2. better and aid in comparing the online edition to the print edition. Police Officers each day protect and preserve life and property where they work and live. Weintraub and a fellow Democratic commissioner wrote a memo to that effect in 2016. Committee for Police Officers' Defense (@CPOD_4_Police) / Twitter 8. For further information, contact Daniel Stepanicich, Attorney, Telecommunications Consumers Division, Enforcement Bureau, at (202) 418-7451 or The President of the United States issues other types of documents, including but not limited to; memoranda, notices, determinations, letters, messages, and orders. To achieve this objective, we direct the Enforcement Bureau to create and monitor an online portal located on the Commission The workers said Politicause managers eventually reined in that practice, requiring them to instead say that at least 10% went to the cause. Former Politicause employee Armstrong said he was fired in 2018, when the call center did charity fundraising, for having drugs at work. A week later, Armstrong said, he was rehired to help raise money for political action committees. Private entity submissions of robocall violations. Section 227 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Communications Act), is designed to protect consumers from unlawful robocalls. Melaleuca, an online wellness shopping club, gave $290,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association in 2020. Gelvan was not accused of wrongdoing in the Montgomery County investigation. In Montgomery County, Maryland, the consumer protection office recently won a settlement against a super PAC called Heroes United, run by Zachary Bass of Baltimore. Police officer's scam robocall warning goes viral The "GMA" team of insiders analyzes some of the biggest stories trending this morning. 03/03/2023, 207 503, 132 Stat 348, 1091. Appendix A, Committee for Police Officers' Defense Only official editions of the While every effort has been made to ensure that All told, the PACs took in $83.1 million during the 2 year period examined by Reuters, about 82% of which went to the eight fundraising companies, according to the campaign disclosures required by the FEC. Against that background, Congress directed the Commission to develop a streamlined process for private entities to submit robocall information to the Commission. Its a sink or swim environment. daniel.stepanicich@fcc.gov. In 2018, the Federal Trade Commission sued Zeitlin for allegedly deceptive practices in charity fundraising, but the case has been suspended because a grand jury was investigating, according to court documents. We interpret section 10(a) of the TRACED Act to encompass suspected or alleged violations of section 227(b) or section 227(e) as the most natural reading the of the statute. In recent years, some telemarketers have used technology to bombard consumers with hundreds of millions of prerecorded calls that are often unwanted and frequently deceptive.
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