Club for Growth Leads Coalition Urging President Trump to Stand Firm against Special Interest Pressure to Drop Ex-Im Pick

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“It is beyond audacious that the recipients of the Bank’s subsidies believe they can select the person to run the very agency that will hand the goodies out to them.”

Washington, DC –Today, Club for Growth sent a coalition letter to Senator Michael Crapo, Senate Chairman of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, to denounce special interests who seek to strongarm President Trump into dropping the appointment of Scott Garrett as the next president of the Export-Import Bank.  Additionally, the conservative organizations announce opposition to any nomination (or slate of nominations) to Ex-Im’s board if Garrett’s nomination is not considered.

The letter can be read in its entirety below or can be viewed in pdf version by clicking this link.

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Dear Chairman Crapo,

On behalf of the following organizations representing millions of Americans, we write to strongly denounce the special interest business groups that are urging the White House to drop the appointment of Scott Garrett as the next president of the Export-Import Bank.

It is beyond audacious that the recipients of the Bank’s subsidies believe that they, not the President, can select the person to run the very agency that will hand the goodies out to them.  This is regulatory capture at its worst.

Cronyism and corruption have long plagued the Bank’s operations.  When special interests publicly demand their spoils in such an egregious manner, it only further erodes the public’s confidence in their government.

President Trump has successfully appointed reformers to lead other agencies – like Scott Pruitt at the EPA and Betsy DeVos at the Department of Education.  His appointment of Garrett is in keeping with his courageous reform agenda to “drain the swamp.”  For special interest groups to dictate the terms of his appointments is precisely the wrong message to send to the American people.

As recently as 2015, the Bank had almost 800 fraud claims levied against it.  There have been 85 indictments, 48 criminal judgements, and 66 years of prison sentences brought to bear because of the Bank’s activities.  Letting special interests continue to control the Bank’s leadership and operations will only extend this disastrously corrupt track record.

We’re extremely hopeful that President Trump will ignore the special interests that are so desperate for their Export-Import Bank gravy train to continue.  To that end, our groups and the people we represent, will vocally oppose any nomination (or slate of nominations) to Ex-Im’s board if Garrett’s nomination is not considered.

Regards,

David McIntosh, President
Club for Growth

Michael A. Needham, Chief Executive Officer
Heritage Action for America

Jason Pye, Vice President of Legislative Affairs
FreedomWorks

Rick Manning, President
Americans for Limited Government

Phil Kerpen, President
American Commitment

David Williams, President
Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Colin A. Hanna, President
Let Freedom Ring USA

Daniel Schneider, Executive Director
American Conservative Union

Tony Perkins, President
Family Research Council