Receiving notice from a congressional investigating committee can be chilling, and for good reason. Recipients know that a subpoena, or a request for testimony or document review, can mark the beginning of a process that has the potential to damage their reputations, place them in legal jeopardy, or both.
Congressional investigations and oversight hearings can be all or part political theater or a forum for policy development, depending on the committee involved. It’s possible, however, to get through the opaque process of an investigation unscathed, but it requires guidance from seasoned professionals who know the rules, the investigatory methodology and the players.
SUBSTANTIVE SUPPORT FOR CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS
Support from a formidable team.
Venable’s bipartisan congressional investigations team is results-driven. With a deep understanding of congressional rules and the politics involved in many investigations, we can help you respond to any request from an investigating committee in a timely, productive and appropriate way.
The team is led by a former chief counsel and staff director of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and an oversight counsel for the Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. Members also include a former Clinton White House associate counsel, as well as former members of Congress, federal prosecutors, administration officials, senior congressional committee and office staffers, senior litigators and leading government contracts attorneys.
Established relationships, proven negotiating skills.
Our objective is to protect your legitimate interests while providing Congress the information it requires. We understand how to achieve this delicate balance because we have represented scores of clients before House and Senate committees, and we have personal and professional relationships—on both sides of the aisle—with most of the investigators and counsels on the key oversight and investigative committees. Venable’s attorneys have recently represented clients involved in waste, fraud and abuse investigations conducted by the:
- House Energy and Commerce Committee;
- House Oversight and Government Reform Committee; and
- Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
Through this deep experience we have become tenacious, highly effective negotiators. We use these skills to represent your interests in communications with members of Congress and investigators, and to affect the scope, timing and substance of subpoenas, document requests and interviews with company personnel.
What we can do for you.
Our attorneys will work with you to develop a nuanced response strategy that unambiguously tells your side of the story. We can also help you:
- minimize any collateral damage from a public hearing;
- prevent the dissemination of privileged, confidential or proprietary information to the greatest extent possible;
- conduct thorough internal investigations;
- respond to congressional subpoenas, chairman’s letters and other requests for information;
- draft testimony to be delivered under oath; and
- prepare responses to questions posed by staff and members of Congress during sometimes confrontational hearings.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
Investigation into stock option back-dating by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
The chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) investigated the potentially fraudulent utilization of back-dating stock options by certain high-tech companies. In its representation of one of the Fortune 250 high-tech companies, Venable negotiated the scope, timing and substance of document requests, as well as interviews with company personnel.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigation into executive compensation.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigated the role played by compensation consultants in determining the pay packages of senior executives at the largest publicly traded corporations. In its representation of a major executive compensation firm, Venable negotiated the scope, timing and substance of the subpoena, as well as interviews with company personnel.
Energy and Commerce Committee investigation of food safety.
The chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee investigated the safety of our nation’s food supply, including the utilization of carbon monoxide in meat products. For a major food retailer, Venable counseled, interpreted and negotiated compliance of food safety regulations with Congress and federal agencies. We also conducted murder boards and prepared the witness for congressional testimony, including drafting testimony.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigation into waste, fraud and abuse.
Venable represented numerous U.S. government contractors in far-reaching committee investigations into waste, fraud and abuse in Iraq war contracting.
More than just providing legal advice, our congressional investigations attorneys develop nuanced response strategies that unambiguously present your view of the facts and issues. We aggressively negotiate with members of Congress and investigators and minimize collateral damage from public hearings. And, to the greatest extent possible, we protect against the dissemination of privileged, confidential and proprietary information.