At Subcommittee Hearing, Democrats Condemn Republicans’ Baseless Attacks and Conspiracy Theories While Trump Illegally Guts Agencies and Defunds Life-Saving Programs

Washington, D.C. (July 16, 2025)—Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight, led subcommittee Democrats in countering Republican efforts to target and demonize nonprofit organizations while defunding thousands of programs and grants that save lives and support public safety, health services, and civic infrastructure nationwide. 

The hearing included testimony from: Ambassador Luis C.deBaca, Professor from Practice at University of Michigan Law School; Scott Walter, President of Capital Research Center; Mike Gonzalez, Angeles T. Arredondo E Pluribus Unum Senior Fellow of The Heritage Foundation; and Tyler O’Neil, Senior Editor of The Daily Signal. 

Subcommittee Democrats debunked Republicans’ conspiracy theories targeting grant recipients they disagree with, while emphasizing that Donald Trump is lawlessly gutting funding programs appropriated by Congress.  

• Ranking Member Crockett explained what this hearing is really about: “It’s about silencing organizations that challenge Republican power. It’s about targeting nonprofits that protect the very people this Trump-aligned movement continues to harm. These organizations are defending victims of unlawful actions. They're helping to combat global pandemics. They’re supporting police departments when this very Committee won’t. They’re working to build safer, healthier communities—while Trump and his allies defund them to hand out tax breaks to billionaires. And maybe that’s the real threat here: they’re effective.”
   
• Ranking Member Raskin said: “I perused all [the witnesses’] statements, I didn’t see a single one of them allege a single crime, anything illegal going on. They just don’t like the things that [George Soros] invests in. They don’t like what certain not-for-profit groups do. Well, I don’t love everything that the right wing not-for-profits do. Why are we having a hearing about this? What an absurd waste of time.”
   
• Pointing to unfounded allegations from Republicans, Ranking Member Raskin asked Ambassador C.deBaca: “Is there anything illegal about people in not-for-profits going to work in the federal government in a new administration?” Ambassador C.deBaca said no.
   
• Ranking Member Raskin asked Ambassador C.deBaca: “Is there anything illegal about not-for-profit spending money on a priority that a government agency or department also has? And I’ll give you an example: the Gates Foundation has spent $30 billion to advance vaccines, both research and spreading vaccines around the world. USAID spent $3 billion over the last decade on that. Is that either illegal or unusual that you would have convergence of the not-for-profit philanthropic sector with a governmental priority?” Ambassador C.deBaca said, “It’s not illegal and in fact it is a best practice so that you can extend both the governmental and the philanthropic spending.”
   
• Rep. Hank Johnson said: “The majority’s witnesses have repeatedly condemned the revolving door between what they call leftist nonprofits and the federal government, but they need to take a long hard look in the mirror and talk about what’s happening with MAGA billionaire corrupt corporate conservative front groups such as the Heritage Foundation, a giant recipient of dark money.” 

Subcommittee Democrats made clear that these lawless cuts are disastrous for Americans’ health, safety, and our national security. 

• Ranking Member Crockett asked Ambassador C.deBaca “Does it look like you’re fighting for life when you cut 17 million people off of their healthcare?” He said, “It does not.” Does it look like you’re fighting for life when you’re kicking people in this country […] off of food assistance? He said, “No, ma’am.” 
   
• Ranking Member Crockett asked Ambassador C.deBaca if the following non-profits were radical or restorative: “A nonprofit that provides shelter and legal aid to human trafficking survivors […] a DOJ-funded program that mentors at-risk youth to prevent gang violence  […] a grant funded organization that helps women fleeing domestic abuse with housing and trauma support  […]  a USAID program that works to shut down scam compounds trafficking people in Southeast Asia  […] a faith-based nonprofit helping migrant children reunite safely with family  […]  a community group receiving DOJ funds to reduce gun violence in cities  […]  and the final one is a global initiative that prevents trafficking and keeps people from being forced into labor or sold into exploitation.” Ambassador C.deBaca said all are “restorative.” Ranking Member Crockett emphasized, “What’s shocking is some of these programs are the very ones that Trump and my Republican colleagues are working to shut down.”