U.S. Chamber Holds FTC Accountable for Lack of Transparency in FOIA Lawsuit

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce secured a victory in its lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding the agency's lack of transparency and accountability.

The case, which was settled in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, was brought upon the Commission for its denial of lawful requests for public information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that were essential to understanding the Commission's operations.

All four Chamber complaints in the lawsuit resulted in the FTC turning over hundreds of pages of documents, including revelations that exposed collusive outreach by the FTC to foreign agencies as well as the agency's dubious efforts to stockpile "zombie votes".

"FOIA compliance is a basic expectation of good government. It's disappointing that legal action was necessary to compel the FTC to meet its obligations," said Sean Heather, senior vice president of International Regulatory Affairs & Antitrust at the U.S. Chamber Commerce. "This decision is a win for American businesses that rely on an accountable, transparent, and fair regulatory environment to succeed. We remain committed to holding all agencies accountable to the rule of law."