00:00Thank you so much, Madam Chairwoman. And I want to welcome back some of our guests here today. Mr. Krikorian, I recognize you from last summer when you came to testify. Welcome back. Just want to clarify, you served on the board for Project 2025, is that correct?
00:18I don't think I was on a board. We were one of the advisors for it.
00:22So yes, you served in an advisory role on Project 2025. I appreciate that. And Mr. Walter, I just want to clarify a few things about Capital Research Center.
00:33This is the organization that acted as a fiscal sponsor for Jenny Thomas' nonprofit, correct?
00:42For a project that she was one of many people involved with, yes.
00:46Yes. And this is Jenny Thomas, Justice Clarence Thomas' wife. And my understanding is that there was a donor-advised fund that was the primary donor to that funding under your fiscal sponsorship.
00:59In fact, it looks like about $400,000 was channeled through your organization.
01:05And if I'm correct, based on what I see here, the primary donors are the Koch brothers, the Searles, the Mercers, oh, and Leonard Leo.
01:13And some of you may recall Leonard Leo because, of course, he's at the center of many of the big issues around Supreme Court ethics.
01:23But also, you all may recognize him because last week, Donald Trump called him a sleazebag who probably hates America for his interference in the judiciary
01:31and his efforts to try to undermine what Donald Trump is trying to do.
01:35So, a very interesting cast of characters indeed.
01:40And, Mr. Turner, as I understand it, you're a former employee of the Koch Institute, correctly?
01:46Yes.
01:46All right.
01:47So, I think, you know, these are always very interesting hearings we have in the Oversight Committee.
01:52We have some retreads of some witnesses who've been here before,
01:55all of which are participants in organizations that were involved in Project 2025 that are funded through the same dark money networks
02:06and organizations of the Koch brothers and Leonard Leo and the Searles and the Mercers who fund all this stuff.
02:13Project 2025, the stuff that's happening in front of the Supreme Court, rolling back our rights,
02:18that helped to get, you know, over 70 Project 2025 authors placed in the administration acting in high-level roles right now
02:27that are bringing cases in front of the Supreme Court, undermining our democracy,
02:31and which are attacking organizations who are working on civil society programs.
02:39So, I think I already said this, but I think it's very clear what is going on here.
02:44And I want to point out that the project that Ms. Jenny Thomas was fundraising for through Capital Research Center,
02:52let's see, what was the direct quote, literally was formed with the mission to attack the left,
02:59a culture war, to wage a culture war against the left.
03:02So, I think we can see what's going on here.
03:04But this is not a joke, right?
03:06Ms. Yentl, you're here in your role of helping to advise nonprofit organizations
03:12and provide institutional infrastructure.
03:15I know there's been a number of untrue things said here today,
03:18both about your own professional background,
03:20as well as the affiliated organizations that help to support our small nonprofits across the country.
03:25But I think it is really important, and this is a message we want to drive home today,
03:30that the attacks on nonprofit organizations that the Trump administration is undertaking,
03:35including trying to find executive authority to take away tax-exempt status,
03:40are both illegal and immoral.
03:42Would you agree?
03:44Excuse me.
03:45Thank you for the question.
03:46Yes, it is illegal for the president or any member of the executive office to direct the IRS
03:53to make any changes to the tax status of an individual or an organization.
03:59And, in fact, the law makes clear that if the president threatens to revoke tax-exempt status
04:05from an individual organization, they can be convicted up to five years in prison.
04:10And so could you please tell us, you know, we want to make sure that for any nonprofit watching,
04:16because I know there are probably hundreds, if not thousands, across the country,
04:19because they're deeply concerned of what might be coming,
04:22what should nonprofits be doing to prepare if DOGE or the administration tries to either infiltrate or take away their status?
04:28Well, nonprofits should know that that's illegal, and they do.
04:32That's part of what we've been working to educate nonprofits.
04:35But mostly what nonprofits should continue to do is the incredibly important, vital work that they do in communities
04:43and to try not to be distracted by threats and unlawful actions by the president.
04:52Nonprofit organizations are local.
04:55They are transparent, accountable.
04:57They are nonpartisan, and they do vital work in communities with communities,
05:02identifying and prioritizing local needs, and then working with the communities to meet those needs
05:08in ways that the government and other private entities don't.
05:11The gentlelady's time has expired.
05:13I now recognize the chairman of Oversight, Mr. Comer, from Kentucky.
05:18Thank you, Madam Chair.
05:18Thank you, Madam Chair.
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