Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has unveiled a report from the Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) that indicates “disastrous results,” awarding millions to two non-governmental organizations with a perceived “radical” agenda funded by taxpayers.
Read the Report. As Grassley noted, how do we present this? In a statement, he pointed out that Biden’s DOJ allocated funds to the VERA Judicial Institute (VERA) and Impact Justice, which he claims supports a “left-leaning agenda that poses a risk to public safety.”
“This is just a glimpse of the grant program reviewed by the Department of Justice, but the analysis of these recipients raises broader concerns regarding the historical distribution of grants by the Department,” Grassley commented in his introduction to the report.
According to the organization’s website, VERA aims to develop programs that “end criminalization and mass incarceration for people of color, immigrants, and those facing poverty.”
The Grassley report indicates that VERA “reportedly received a $6.75 million contract from the Biden Administration Department” from 2022 to 2023, as stated by InfluenceWatch. In April, the Trump DOJ stated that it had terminated a $5 million grant on grounds that the project “no longer aligned with its program goals or agency priorities,” according to VERA report.
Later that month, VERA initiated an “Emergency Judiciary Fund,” soliciting direct donations.
Grassley’s report identifies VERA as a “left-wing organization” and mentions that it has received $25 million from Open Society Foundations, founded by George Soros, a prominent left-leaning political donor who has invested “billions” into campaigns and organizations that promote his agenda in the U.S. According to InfluenceWatch.
“Under the Biden-Harris administration, the VERA Institute has been granted millions of taxpayer dollars to support left-wing district attorneys, who will collaborate with VERA to implement progressive policies in line with Soros,” Grassley’s press release states. “These policies prioritize violent offenders over victims and often fail to fully prosecute serious felony charges, including assault, theft, rape, and murder.”
The report also highlights VERA’s 2020 tweets advocating for police funding cuts.
Impact Justice claims on its website to monitor “billions of dollars per year allocated to law enforcement and the punishment system,” stating that such systems “perpetuate cycles of racism and harm.” They assert. Additionally, Impact Justice manages the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Resource Center, aimed superficially at eliminating sexual abuse in confinement. This resource center is funded through a “cooperative agreement” with the DOJ; according to Impact Justice.
In his report, Grassley mentions, “The training materials developed by Impact Justice promote extreme progressive reforms under the guise of standard safety training.”
Impact Justice and the PREA Resource Center have also received “$7.45 million from the Biden-Harris administration to combat sexual abuse in prisons and ensure the integrity of the PREA audit process.”
Nonetheless, Grassley’s report indicated that “PREA audits regularly fail to uncover widespread sexual abuse,” and that the PREA Resource Center has “encouraged transgender housing policies,” which “contradict federal regulations.”
“The PREA Resource Center’s training materials endanger women by promoting housing policies for transgender inmates in women’s prisons, executed in a manner that disregards federal regulations and inmate safety,” the press release states.
Impact Justice reportedly laid off dozens of employees in April following the reduction in grants from the Trump administration. As reported by CBS News.
The press release also notes that “the Trump administration terminated these grants to align DOJ awards with the specified priorities of the administration.” According to documentation from Grassley.
“Americans have largely rejected policies stemming from a leniency towards crime, as they compromise the safety and security of their communities. Organizations such as the VERA Institute promote radical ideology within the justice system and should not be permitted to access taxpayer funds from the Federal Treasury.
“Americans prioritize safety without compromising the integrity of the criminal justice system.”
Abigail Nichols serves as a correspondent for The Federalist. She previously held the position of opinion editor for The Oracle, the student newspaper at the University of South Florida. Currently, she manages business operations at Spinnaker Media, a student-run outlet at the University of North Florida, while pursuing a Master’s in Social Work.
Source: thefederalist.com