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Public disputes concerning what governments and public bodies disclose about their own conduct, data and records, including the completeness, timing and accuracy of what they publish.
Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.
2 statements on this page. Dates: September 29, 2026 to October 1, 2026
2 matching statements. Dates: September 29, 2026 to October 1, 2026
2 published statements. Dates: September 29, 2026 to October 1, 2026
1 published statement. Dates: October 1, 2026
1 statement on this page. Dates: October 1, 2026
Role at the time: U.S. senator from Rhode Island
Statement summary
Whitehouse criticizes the rollback after a GAO report examines fraud risks in federal awards. He argues that the reporting exemption weakens the information available to identify hidden owners and urges full implementation of the law.
“This new report shows that the Treasury Department’s shortsighted decision to gut the CTA leaves hundreds of billions of federal dollars at real risk to fraudsters.”
Whitehouse and Grassley release a later GAO report on federal-award fraud. Whitehouse's own comments link the exemption to risks facing federal funds.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)He expressly criticizes Treasury's policy and calls for it to be reversed.
1 published statement. Dates: September 29, 2026
1 statement on this page. Dates: September 29, 2026
Role at the time: U.S. senator from Rhode Island and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; former U.S. attorney
Statement summary
In his questioning of Smith, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said some of what had taken place at the hearing reflected a lack of familiarity with standard Justice Department procedures, and said the Justice Department in the first Trump administration also obtained toll records of members of Congress before Smith did. Smith agreed that his office obtained nondisclosure orders and said he understood the earlier investigation had done the same.
“reflects a lack of familiarity with standard Department of Justice procedures. ... Because before you obtained toll records of members of Congress, the Department of Justice under President Trump, in his first administration, obtained toll records of members of Congress.”
Senate Judiciary Committee's archived video of the September 29, 2026 hearing. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) compared Smith's toll-record subpoenas and nondisclosure orders with those of the Justice Department in the first Trump administration.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)The case asks whether the collection of members' phone records and messages was proper. Whitehouse said some of what had taken place at the hearing reflected unfamiliarity with standard Justice Department procedures and compared the collection with the first Trump administration's own acquisition of members' toll records. That defends the collection as ordinary practice, so we labeled it Defended or excused.
