Welcoming the 116th Congress: How to Prepare for the Congressional Investigations Boom

The 116th Congress is poised to take an aggressive approach to investigations. Even for organizations and individuals who aren't the focus, congressional investigations can pose some risk to nonprofit organizations. Sometimes, donors can be under the microscope; on other occasions it might be individuals or institutions with whom a nonprofit has a commercial or other business relationship; and from time to time it could be a board member. How an organization responds can be critical to its reputation and its relationship with stakeholders.

During this session, we provided guidance on the steps to take before the first request for information arrives, and considerations to keep in mind as the investigation progresses. Based on our own deep experience in handling these types of matters, we offered some predictions about where Congress will be looking, and how we can help navigate potentially treacherous water.