Shot & Chaser: So… About the Congressional Hearings Into the Equifax Data Breach

September 8, 2017

Shot:

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling promises to hold hearing on Equifax data breach.

Chaser:

Equifax’s PAC has given $67,000 to current Republican members of the House Financial Services Committee over the course of their congressional careers, including $16,500 to Chairman Hensarling.

Make It a Double:

Those same Republican members of the House Financial Services Committee recently voted to repeal the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s new rule on forced arbitration. Had the rule been in place before this breach, Equifax customers would be free to join together and go to court and the company couldn’t force existing or new customers into secret arbitration tribunals where panels, often hand picked by industry, call the shots.

Karl Frisch, Executive Director of Allied Progress released the following statement: “It’s no surprise that Chairman Jeb Hensarling and Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee have led the charge against the arbitration rule and other consumer protections after taking thousands from Equifax and other shady financial institutions. If they want anyone to take these hearings seriously, they should give back every penny they have taken from Equifax and call on their Republican colleagues in the Senate to drop their attacks on the CFPB’s arbitration rule.”

BACKGROUND

HOUSE FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE VOTED

On July 25, the U.S. House voted to approve H.J. Res. 111 a resolution to repeal the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s rule on forced arbitration. The measure passed along an almost entirely party line vote (231 to 190) with all Republicans from the House Financial Services Committee voting in favor of repeal. [House.gov, H.J.Res. 111, Accessed 9/8/17.]

EQUIFAX EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS

Sean Duffy received two contributions from Equifax employees totaling $1,500. [Political Moneyline Search for Equifax Employee Contributions to Sean Duffy, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Occupation	Date	Amount	Recipient
Robert Belair	Equifax Senior Vice President	02/24/13	$500	DUFFY, SEAN
Robert Belair	Equifax Senior Vice President	05/11/11	$1,000	DUFFY, SEAN

EQUIFAX PAC CONTRIBUTIONS

Equifax’s PAC has given $67,000 to current Republican members of the House Financial Services Committee over the course of their congressional careers, including:

Sean Patrick Duffy has received $8,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	02/11/15	$1,000	DUFFY, SEAN
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	06/25/15	$1,000	DUFFY, SEAN
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	12/03/15	$1,000	DUFFY, SEAN
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	07/14/16	$1,000	DUFFY, SEAN
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	05/15/13	$1,000	DUFFY, SEAN
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	06/24/14	$1,000	DUFFY, SEAN
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	09/10/14	$1,000	DUFFY, SEAN
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	05/05/11	$1,000	DUFFY, SEAN

Thomas Emmer has received $1,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	09/03/15	$1,000	EMMER, THOMAS EARL JR

Jeb Hensarling has received $16,500 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	05/24/17	$1,000	HENSARLING, JEB HON.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	05/19/15	$1,000	HENSARLING, JEB HON.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	06/26/13	$2,500	HENSARLING, JEB HON.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	10/19/10	$1,000	HENSARLING, JEB HON.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	04/29/09	$1,000	HENSARLING, JEB HON.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	07/23/08	$2,000	HENSARLING, JEB HON.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	04/25/07	$2,000	HENSARLING, JEB HON.
EQUIFAX POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	06/13/06	$2,000	HENSARLING, JEB MR.
EQUIFAX POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	07/19/05	$2,000	HENSARLING, JEB MR.
EQUIFAX POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	07/14/04	$2,000	HENSARLING, THOMAS JEB

James French Hill has received $1,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	09/03/15	$1,000	HILL, JAMES FRENCH

Bill Huizenga has received $2,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	09/27/13	$1,000	HUIZENGA, WILLIAM P THE HON.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	12/18/13	$1,000	HUIZENGA, WILLIAM P THE HON.

Peter King has received $500 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (EQUIPAC)	10/06/95	$500	KING, PETER THOMAS

Barry Loudermilk has received $3,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	04/01/16	$1,000	LOUDERMILK, BARRY
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	05/03/16	$1,000	LOUDERMILK, BARRY
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	07/02/14	$1,000	LOUDERMILK, BARRY

Mia Love has received $1,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of her Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	09/03/15	$1,000	LOVE, MIA

Blaine Luetkemeyer has received $6,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	04/26/17	$1,000	LUETKEMEYER, W BLAINE
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	06/27/17	$1,000	LUETKEMEYER, W BLAINE
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	03/04/15	$1,000	LUETKEMEYER, W BLAINE
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	04/14/16	$1,000	LUETKEMEYER, W BLAINE
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	12/18/13	$1,000	LUETKEMEYER, W BLAINE
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	10/10/14	$1,000	LUETKEMEYER, W BLAINE

Bruce Poliquin has received $2,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	03/23/15	$1,000	POLIQUIN, BRUCE L
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	09/03/15	$1,000	POLIQUIN, BRUCE L

Dennis Ross has received $1,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	09/13/16	$1,000	ROSS, DENNIS ALAN

Keith Rothfus has received $2,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	04/11/17	$1,000	ROTHFUS, KEITH MR.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	05/02/17	$1,000	ROTHFUS, KEITH MR.

Ed Royce has received $13,500 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	06/13/13	$1,000	ROYCE, ED MR
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	09/21/11	$1,000	ROYCE, ED MR
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	03/13/08	$3,000	ROYCE, ED MR
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	06/21/07	$2,000	ROYCE, ED MR
EQUIFAX POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	05/10/06	$2,500	ROYCE, ED MR
EQUIFAX POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	05/26/05	$2,000	ROYCE, ED MR
EQUIFAX POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	09/14/04	$2,000	ROYCE, ED MR

Steve Stivers has received $2,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	07/09/14	$1,000	STIVERS, STEVE MR.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	02/28/12	$1,000	STIVERS, STEVE MR.

Rep. Ann Wagner has received $6,500 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of her Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	03/16/17	$1,000	WAGNER, ANN L.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	03/03/15	$1,000	WAGNER, ANN L.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	07/10/13	$1,000	WAGNER, ANN L.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	10/26/13	$1,500	WAGNER, ANN L.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	06/10/14	$1,000	WAGNER, ANN L.
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	09/09/14	$1,000	WAGNER, ANN L.

Rep. Roger Williams has received $1,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax’s PAC over the course of his Congressional career. [Equifax PAC Campaign Contributions, Federal Elections Commission, accessed 09/08/17]

Donor	Date	Amount	Candidate
EQUIFAX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE	09/10/13	$1,000	WILLIAMS, ROGER

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