Press Releases
New Tax Filing Reveals Leo Bankrolled Newly-Formed Group Supporting Chevron Challenge
New tax filings reveal the latest in far-right judicial activist Leonard Leo’s coordinated effort to overturn decades-old Chevron deference. The Concord Fund’s 2022 Form 990, obtained last week by Accountable.US, reveals that the Leo-connected dark money group contributed over half a million dollars to the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) as the group launched early last year. Months later, NEFSA filed a brief in Relentless, Inc. v. Department of Commerce, the blockbuster Supreme Court case challenging Chevron deference — and later rallied in front of the Court during oral arguments.
NEFSA is currently engaged in active litigation challenging the Biden administration’s renewable energy agenda — highlighting the group’s desire for reduced regulation in a post-Chevron deference world.
If the Supreme Court rules to overturn the long-standing Chevron doctrine, Leo will have gotten what he paid for at the expense of millions of Americans. Leo’s attacks on Chevron align with his high-level strategy to consolidate more power in the judiciary and ensure every policy he dislikes comes before his hand-picked justices.”
Accountable.US president Caroline Ciccone
NEFSA’s ties to Leo extend beyond financial support. The group retained Holtzman Vogel, a law firm with long-standing legal connections to Leo and his dark money network, including Marble Freedom Trust, Leo’s $1.6 billion piggy bank.
Leonard Leo has been working to weaken the administrative state for over a decade. NEFSA joins a long list of Leo-backed entities pushing to overturn Chevron, which would drastically scale back federal agency authority to interpret laws.
Learn more about Leonard Leo, his far-right agenda, and his dark money network at LeonardLeo.org.
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