Capture lane

Regulatory Capture

The Regulatory Capture capture lane traces 1573 verified events documenting this mechanism of institutional capture.

1573 events From Jan 1, 1819 To Jun 10, 2026 Open in filter view →
Top 10 actors in this lane 10 actors · 1819–2026
Top actors in Regulatory Capture182018251830183518401845185018551860186518701875188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025WatergateReaganIran-Contra9/11Citizens UnitedTrump 1.0Trump 2.0Donald Trump1415 eventsTrump Administration363 eventsSecurities and Exchange Commission77 eventsFederal Trade Commission69 eventsDepartment of Justice337 eventsGeorge W. Bush72 eventsU.S. Congress228 eventsElon Musk186 eventsFood and Drug AdministrationFederal Reserve
Capture lanecorruptiondemocraticexecutivefinancialintelligencejudiciallaborlegislativemediamilitaryotherregulatory Status confirmed alleged disputed
DateEventLanesStatus
2026-06-10Gov. Abbott directs PUCT to require data centers to fully fund own electric infrastructure; PUCT must act to reduce residential transmission costs by July 31, 2026 4 src
Greg Abbott · Public Utility Commission of Texas · ERCOT
confirmed
2026-05-28VP Vance Air Force Academy Commencement Explicitly Endorses Pope Leo XIV's Encyclical on AI in Warfare — 'Decisions Over Life and Death Must Be Made by Humans, Not Machines' — Three Days After Magnifica Humanitas 5 src
J.D. Vance · Pope Leo XIV
confirmed
2026-05-26FPDS Audit Finds SBIR Phase III 'Exclusion of Sources' Sole-Source Fingerprint Systemic Across Defense-AI Startup Cohort — $1.0B+ Non-Competitive, 91% Anduril; Larger Firms Route Around FPDS via OTA 5 src
Anduril Industries · Palantir Technologies · Scale AI · SpaceX · +1
confirmed
2026-05-13EPA Proposes Redefining 'Begin Actual Construction' Under NSR — Allows Datacenter Construction Before Air Permits 5 src
Lee Zeldin · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Donald Trump
confirmed
2026-05-06Pre-decision baseline: OCC 120-day decision window for WLTC Holdings national trust bank charter expires May 7, 2026 with no decision announced 9 src
WLTC Holdings LLC · World Liberty Financial · Office of the Comptroller of the Currency · Jonathan Gould · +4
confirmed
2026-05-01DOE §202(c) emergency coal-retention order log through May 2026: 43+ orders, ~4.4 GW stalled across 6 plants, D.C. Circuit challenges filed 10 src
Chris Wright · Department of Energy · NIPSCO · Earthjustice · +1
confirmed
2026-04-21Politico Reveals Keith Sonderling Was Running DOL All Along; Now Positioned as Indefinite Acting Secretary 5 src
Lori Chavez-DeRemer · Donald Trump
confirmed
2026-04-17Stateline Reveals DHS Scales Back Williamsport MD and Surprise AZ Warehouse Detention Plans from 1,500 to 542 Beds Each Amid State-Level Pushback 4 src
Markwayne Mullin · Department of Homeland Security · Kristi Noem · ICE · +2
confirmed
2026-04-16FERC misses DOE-ordered April 30 deadline on large-load interconnection Docket RM26-4-000 — issues Intent to Act order committing to June 2026 action 6 src
Chris Wright · Department of Energy
confirmed
2026-04-02Trump Imposes 100% Tariffs on Branded Pharmaceutical Imports via Section 232 Executive Order 6 src
Donald Trump · Department of Health and Human Services · Department of Commerce
confirmed
2026-04-01OCC final rule amending 12 CFR 5.20 takes effect, replacing 'fiduciary activities' with 'operations of a trust company and activities related thereto' for national trust bank charters 8 src
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency · Jonathan Gould · U.S. Department of the Treasury
confirmed
2026-03-26Sacks Departs White House AI/Crypto Czar Role; No Successor Named; Policy Disperses to OSTP's Kratsios, PCAST, and Witt at PCADA 9 src
David Sacks · Marc Andreessen
confirmed
2026-03-2321 State AGs Sue to Block USDA "2026 Conditions" Tying Food Assistance to Ideological Compliance 3 src
AG Letitia James
confirmed
2026-03-22EPA Weakens National Park Haze Rule, Shields Coal Plants from Pollution Control Evaluations 3 src
EPA · Sierra Club · Earthjustice
confirmed
2026-03-19Education Dept Announces Transfer of $1.6 Trillion Student Loan Portfolio to Treasury 4 src
Linda McMahon · Scott Bessent · Department of Education
confirmed
2026-03-1818 State AGs Demand Congress Pass Legislation Requiring Refunds of $166B in Unlawful IEEPA Tariffs 3 src
AG Letitia James
confirmed
2026-03-16PUCT issues draft report in Project 58484 recommending Texas shift from 4CP to multi-peak transmission cost methodology — final rules required by December 31, 2026 4 src
Public Utility Commission of Texas · ERCOT · Greg Abbott
confirmed
2026-03-16Trump Signs EO 14395 Establishing Task Force to Eliminate Fraud — Vance as Chair, Ferguson as Vice Chair, 11-Agency Cross-Government Body With Authority to Pause Federal Funding 9 src
Donald Trump · J.D. Vance · Andrew Ferguson · Stephen Miller · +6
confirmed
2026-03-12AI Industry Super PACs Pour $125 Million Into 2026 Midterms to Block Regulation, Targeting Candidates With Hidden Influence Campaign 7 src
OpenAI · Anthropic · Andreessen Horowitz · Marc Andreessen · +4
confirmed
2026-03-12DOGE Cuts 1,029 More NOAA Employees, Threatening Weather Forecasting and Disaster Response 3 src
Department of Government Efficiency · Elon Musk · Donald Trump
confirmed
2026-03-11Trump Administration Launches Section 301 Trade Probes to Rebuild Tariff Regime After Supreme Court Defeat 4 src
Donald Trump · Scott Bessent · U.S. Department of Commerce · U.S. Court of International Trade
confirmed
2026-03-08Colorado Attorney General and Environmental Groups Sue EPA Over Illegal Rejection of State Clean Air Plan Protecting Coal 3 src
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Earthjustice · Sierra Club · Lee Zeldin
confirmed
2026-03-08Legal Challenges Mount Against EPA Repeal of Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding 5 src
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Lee Zeldin · Donald Trump · Environmental Defense Fund · +1
confirmed
2026-03-05Anthropic Reopens Pentagon Talks as Defense Experts Warn Blacklist Sets Dangerous Precedent for AI Safety 6 src
Anthropic · Dario Amodei · U.S. Department of Defense · Pete Hegseth · +2
confirmed
2026-03-05SEC Settles Tron Fraud Case — Rainberry Pays $10M, Justin Sun Personal Charges Dismissed With Prejudice 4 src
Securities and Exchange Commission · Justin Sun · Tron Foundation · World Liberty Financial
confirmed
2026-03-04DHS $220 Million Self-Deportation Ad Campaign Faces Senate Scrutiny; Contracts Bypassed Competitive Bidding 5 src
Kristi Noem · John Kennedy · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · Safe America Media · +1
confirmed
2026-03-04Environmental Groups Press Legal Challenge Against EPA's Repeal of Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding 4 src
Earthjustice · Clean Air Task Force · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Lee Zeldin · +1
confirmed
2026-03-04Pentagon Formally Designates Anthropic a National Security Supply-Chain Risk, First US Company So Labeled 5 src
Anthropic · Dario Amodei · U.S. Department of Defense · Pete Hegseth · +1
confirmed
2026-03-04Treasury, State, and HHS Begin Phasing Out Anthropic Products Following Trump Executive Directive 4 src
Donald Trump · U.S. Department of the Treasury · U.S. Department of State · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services · +1
confirmed
2026-03-04Trump Publicly Champions Crypto Industry in Stablecoin Battle While Family Firm Profits from Same Rules 3 src
Donald Trump · Eric Trump · World Liberty Financial · U.S. Congress · +3
confirmed
2026-03-02Texas School Prayer Law SB 11 Deadline Passes; Most Districts Decline to Adopt Daily Prayer Periods 3 src
Texas Legislature · Greg Abbott
confirmed
2026-02-26Warren Grills OCC Comptroller Gould on WLFI UAE Ownership Disclosure at Senate Banking Hearing 2 src
Elizabeth Warren · Jonathan Gould · Office of the Comptroller of the Currency · World Liberty Financial
confirmed
2026-02-24Full DC Circuit Hears Three-Hour Arguments on CFPB Mass Layoffs; Court Grills Administration on Separation of Powers 6 src
Russell Vought · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · National Treasury Employees Union · U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit · +1
confirmed
2026-02-24Trump Announces 'War on Fraud' at SOTU — Names Vance to Lead It 4 src
Donald Trump · J.D. Vance
confirmed
2026-02-23Legal Scholars Assess State Climate Authority After Endangerment Repeal; California Formally Sues EPA 6 src
California Attorney General Rob Bonta · U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
confirmed
2026-02-21Independent Analysis Projects 58,000 Additional Deaths and $4.7 Trillion in Costs from EPA Endangerment Repeal 4 src
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Lee Zeldin · Donald Trump · Fossil Fuel Industry
confirmed
2026-02-21Post-SCOTUS Tariff Pivot: Trump Invokes Section 122 Global Tariff and Launches Section 301 Investigations as Legal Workaround 7 src
Donald Trump · Scott Bessent · Jamieson Greer · Department of the Treasury
confirmed
2026-02-21Trump Invokes Section 122 to Impose New Tariffs Within 24 Hours of Supreme Court Ruling 4 src
Donald Trump · Scott Bessent · Department of the Treasury
confirmed
2026-02-19Trump Issues DOGE Deregulatory Executive Order Requiring 60-Day Regulatory Review at All Agencies Including Independent Bodies 4 src
Donald Trump · Russell Vought · Office of Management and Budget · Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs · +1
confirmed
2026-02-18EPA Endangerment Finding Repeal Published in Federal Register; Coalition Lawsuits Filed Same Day 7 src
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Lee Zeldin · Earthjustice · Environmental Defense Fund · +3
confirmed
2026-02-18FDA Commissioner Makary and Deputy Prasad Announce End of Two-Trial Drug Approval Standard in NEJM — Most Significant FDA Safety Change Since 1962 7 src
Food and Drug Administration · Marty Makary · Vinay Prasad · Donald Trump
confirmed
2026-02-18Trump Invokes Defense Production Act for Bayer/Monsanto Glyphosate, Potentially Shielding Corporation from 100,000+ Cancer Lawsuits 3 src
Donald Trump · Brooke Rollins · Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
confirmed
2026-02-13Jim O'Neill and Mike Stuart Depart HHS in Leadership Shakeup Ahead of Midterms 3 src
Jim O'Neill · Robert F. Kennedy Jr. · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
confirmed
2026-02-12EPA Repeals 2009 Endangerment Finding on Greenhouse Gases 4 src
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Lee Zeldin · Donald Trump
confirmed
2026-02-12Trust in Federal Health Agencies Plummets Under RFK Jr. Despite Restoration Promises 2 src
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
confirmed
2026-02-11Bondi House Testimony Devolves Into Personal Attacks Over Epstein Files and Political Prosecutions 3 src
Pam Bondi · Jamie Raskin · Thomas Massie · Pramila Jayapal · +1
confirmed
2026-02-11SEC Chair Atkins Grilled by Congress Over 60% Crypto Enforcement Decline 2 src
Paul Atkins · Securities and Exchange Commission · House Financial Services Committee · Justin Sun · +1
confirmed
2026-02-11Trump Orders Pentagon to Purchase Coal-Fired Electricity 4 src
Donald Trump · U.S. Department of Defense · Department of Energy · Peabody Energy
confirmed
2026-02-10Grand Jury Rejects DOJ Attempt to Indict Six Democratic Lawmakers Over Military Oath Video 3 src
Department of Justice · Jeanine Pirro · Mark Kelly · Elissa Slotkin · +2
confirmed
2026-02-09DOJ Appeals Comey and James Case Dismissals Despite Halligan Unlawful Appointment Ruling 2 src
Department of Justice · Pam Bondi · Lindsey Halligan · James Comey · +1
confirmed
2026-02-09Multifaith Coalition Sues Trump's Religious Liberty Commission for Excluding Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and Non-Christians 3 src
Democracy Forward · Dan Patrick · Ben Carson
confirmed
2026-02-09NCRC and AFREF File OCC Comment Letters Opposing WLTC Trust Bank Charter 3 src
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency · World Liberty Financial · WLTC Holdings LLC
confirmed
2026-02-08EPA Advances Rollback of Four PFAS Drinking Water Standards 3 src
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Lee Zeldin
confirmed
2026-02-07SEC Denies All Whistleblower Award Claims in First Quarter of FY2026 3 src
Securities and Exchange Commission · Paul Atkins
confirmed
2026-02-05Trump Education Department Issues Guidance Allowing Teachers to Pray Visibly With Students During School Day 3 src
Linda McMahon · U.S. Department of Education · Trump Administration
confirmed
2026-02-03Congress Passes Bipartisan HHS Funding Bill Blocking RFK Jr.'s Proposed 25% Budget Cuts 2 src
U.S. Congress · Donald Trump · Robert F. Kennedy Jr. · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
confirmed
2026-02-02GAO Report Reveals Education Department Paid $38M to Idled Civil Rights Staff 3 src
U.S. Government Accountability Office · U.S. Department of Education · Linda McMahon · Bernie Sanders · +1
confirmed
2026-02-01SEC Cuts PCAOB Budget 9.4%, Slashes Board Compensation by Half 2 src
Securities and Exchange Commission · Paul Atkins
confirmed
2026-01-31SEC Chair Atkins Appoints Trump Loyalists to PCAOB Accounting Oversight Board 3 src
Paul Atkins · Securities and Exchange Commission · Elizabeth Warren
confirmed
2026-01-29Ten Tech Vendors Offer $600 Million in Discounts to Implement Medicaid Work Requirements 2 src
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services · Donald Trump · Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
confirmed
2026-01-28Federal Reserve Refuses to Comply with DOJ Grand Jury Subpoenas Against Powell 3 src
Jerome Powell · Federal Reserve · Department of Justice · Jeanine Pirro · +1
confirmed
2026-01-27Trump Executive Order Authorizes Federal Preemption of California Rebuilding Regulations 3 src
Donald Trump · White House · Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) · Small Business Administration
confirmed
2026-01-23OCC Comptroller Gould Refuses Warren Demand to Pause WLFI Charter Review 3 src
Jonathan Gould · Office of the Comptroller of the Currency · Elizabeth Warren · World Liberty Financial · +1
confirmed
2026-01-21Lindsey Halligan Forced Out of DOJ After Unlawful Appointment Ruling 3 src
Lindsey Halligan · Pam Bondi · Department of Justice
confirmed
2026-01-20Trump Executive Order Directs Restrictions on Institutional Investor Home Purchases 3 src
Donald Trump · White House · Department of the Treasury · U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · +2
confirmed
2026-01-19EPA issues Section 7(b) Brownfield/Superfund AI datacenter reuse guidance on EO deadline — CERCLA liability retained, energy and water proximity required 6 src
Lee Zeldin · Department of Energy
confirmed
2026-01-18EPA WOTUS Rollback Moves Forward After Public Comment Period 3 src
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Lee Zeldin · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
confirmed
2026-01-17DOGE Claims $881M in Education Research Contract Cancellations 3 src
Department of Government Efficiency · U.S. Department of Education · Linda McMahon
confirmed
2026-01-15Public Citizen Report Documents 159 Cancelled Corporate Enforcement Actions Worth $3.1 Billion 2 src
Public Citizen · Donald Trump
confirmed
2026-01-15Trump Unveils 'Great Healthcare Plan' - One-Page Framework with No Specifics, Fails to Address ACA Premium Crisis 4 src
Donald Trump · Mehmet Oz · CMS
confirmed
2026-01-14Trump Imposes 25% Tariff on Advanced AI Semiconductors Under Section 232 2 src
Donald Trump · White House · U.S. Department of Commerce
confirmed
2026-01-13RFK Jr Reshapes CDC Vaccine Panel with Anti-Vaccine Appointees: 'I Was Not Anti-Vaccine. I Am Now.' 2 src
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
confirmed
2026-01-13Warren Presses OCC to Halt WLFI Bank Charter Review Until Trump Divests 1 src
Elizabeth Warren · Jonathan Gould · Office of the Comptroller of the Currency · World Liberty Financial · +1
confirmed
2026-01-10ACA Subsidy Extension Passes House via Discharge Petition 230-196 2 src
Brian Fitzpatrick · Mike Lawler · Mike Johnson · Donald Trump
confirmed
2026-01-08Vance Announces DOJ Anti-Fraud Position to Be 'Run Out of the White House' 3 src
J.D. Vance · Donald Trump · Department of Justice · Tim Walz
confirmed
2026-01-07DHS Secretary Noem Announces 500 Miles of Rio Grande Buoy Barriers 2 src
Kristi Noem · DHS (Department of Homeland Security)
confirmed
2026-01-07RFK Jr Releases New Dietary Guidelines: 'Most Significant Reset of Federal Nutrition Policy in History' 3 src
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. · Brooke Rollins · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services · USDA
confirmed
2026-01-07World Liberty Financial Applies for OCC Bank Charter 3 src
World Liberty Financial · Trump Organization · Office of the Comptroller of the Currency · Donald Trump
confirmed
2026-01-05CDC Slashes Childhood Vaccine Schedule from 17 to 11 Diseases, Bypassing Advisory Committee 3 src
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Jim O'Neill · Donald Trump · Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
confirmed
2026-01-01ACA Enhanced Subsidies Expire, Premiums Double for 22 Million Americans 3 src
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · U.S. Congress · Donald Trump
confirmed
2026-01-01Medicaid Expansion Funding Cuts Take Effect, Threatening 1.3 Million 6 src
Donald Trump
confirmed
2025-12-28ICE Agents Enter Minneapolis Hospital Without Warrant, Handcuff Patient to Bed for 24 Hours 2 src
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
confirmed
2025-12-20Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders 'Operation Hawkeye Strike': Massive Retaliatory Strikes Against ISIS in Syria 3 src
Pete Hegseth · Donald Trump
reported
2025-12-19DHS Secretary Noem Suspends Diversity Visa Lottery Program Following Brown University Mass Shooting 3 src
Kristi Noem · Donald Trump · Marco Rubio
reported
2025-12-16California Governor Newsom Launches Official State Website Tracking Trump's "Top 10 Criminal Cronies" as Direct Political Confrontation Escalates 4 src
Gavin Newsom · Donald Trump · Changpeng Zhao · Juan Orlando Hernández · +3
confirmed
2025-12-16House Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing Exposes How Trump Administration Corrupted DOJ Antitrust Enforcement Through Pay-to-Play Schemes and Political Interference 3 src
Jamie Raskin · Pam Bondi · Chad Mizelle · Jim Jordan · +8
reported
2025-12-13VA Plans to Eliminate 35,000 Healthcare Positions Despite Record Veteran Enrollment 3 src
Department of Veterans Affairs · Richard Blumenthal
confirmed
2025-12-10Trump Intervenes in Netflix-Warner Bros Antitrust Review, Favoring Politically Connected Paramount 3 src
Donald Trump · Netflix · Warner Bros. Discovery · Paramount · +2
reported
2025-12-09FBI Director Kash Patel Signs Qatar Security Agreements Despite Recent Lobbying History and Ethics Waiver Controversy 4 src
Kash Patel · Craig Holman · Public Citizen
reported
2025-12-09Third Federal Judge Calls for Lindsey Halligan's Resignation as Unlawfully Appointed U.S. Attorney 4 src
Leonie Brinkema · Lindsey Halligan · Alina Habba · James Comey · +3
reported
2025-12-08Alina Habba Resigns as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Following Appeals Court Ruling 4 src
Alina Habba · Pam Bondi · Donald Trump
reported
2025-12-08Paramount Skydance Launches $108.4 Billion Hostile Takeover Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery with Saudi, Qatari, and UAE Backing 5 src
David Ellison · Larry Ellison · Saudi Public Investment Fund · Qatar Investment Authority · +7
reported
2025-12-08Supreme Court Signals Intent to Overturn 90-Year Precedent Protecting Independent Agency Leaders from Presidential Firing, Expanding Executive Power 3 src
U.S. Supreme Court · Donald Trump · Rebecca Slaughter · John Roberts · +3
confirmed
2025-12-07Judge Blocks DOJ from Using Evidence Seized from Comey's Attorney in Fourth Amendment Ruling 3 src
Colleen Kollar-Kotelly · James Comey · Department of Justice · Pam Bondi · +3
reported
2025-12-06Trump DOT waives $11 million Southwest Airlines fine, dismantling corporate accountability 6 src
Trump Administration · Sean Duffy · Department of Transportation · Elizabeth Warren
confirmed
2025-12-06Trump Issues Memo Ordering Comprehensive Review of Childhood Vaccine Schedule, Elevating Political Control Over Medical Science 6 src
Donald Trump · Robert F. Kennedy Jr. · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · +1
confirmed
2025-12-06Trump Pardons Sports Executive Tim Leiweke After Golf Conversation With Trey Gowdy 3 src
Donald Trump · U.S. Department of Justice
reported
2025-12-05ACIP Chair Admits Vaccine Panel Members Feel Like "Puppets on a String," Exposing Political Manipulation 7 src
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices · Robert F. Kennedy Jr. · American Academy of Pediatrics · American Medical Association
confirmed
2025-12-05CDC Panel Ends Universal Hepatitis B Vaccination for Newborns After RFK Jr. Reconstitutes Committee 6 src
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Robert F. Kennedy Jr. · Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices · American Academy of Pediatrics · +1
confirmed
2025-12-05RFK Jr.'s Reconstituted CDC Panel Votes to Roll Back Newborn Hepatitis B Vaccine Recommendation 5 src
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices · Donald Trump · +1
confirmed