Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, opened a nomination hearing for Colin McDonald to serve as Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division. In his prepared statement, Grassley highlighted the significance of fraud enforcement and its impact on Americans.
Grassley referenced his legislative history, noting, “In 1986, I authored landmark amendments to the False Claims Act that enabled the government to recover taxpayer dollars from entities that defrauded its programs.” He added that since those amendments, the False Claims Act has allowed the government to recover $85 billion in taxpayer funds. According to Grassley, last year’s recovery under this law was more than $6.8 billion—the highest annual amount recorded.
He also mentioned his role in advancing measures against scams targeting elderly populations. “Years ago, I introduced the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act. It stiffened penalties and equipped prosecutors with the tools needed to bring perpetrators to justice,” he said. The Elder Justice Coalition called it “one of the most comprehensive and meaningful bills ever developed to address the rapidly increasing problem of elder financial abuse in America.”
Grassley emphasized that efforts against fraud have been bipartisan: “They were bipartisan because combatting fraud is not – and should not be – a Republican or Democrat goal.” He called for collective action among public officials after recent fraud cases in Minnesota involving programs meant for children with autism, elderly people, and small businesses.
Praising ongoing initiatives by federal authorities, Grassley stated: “I applaud the Trump administration and the Department of Justice for taking these issues seriously.”
Introducing Colin McDonald, Grassley outlined his qualifications. McDonald graduated from California Western School of Law and clerked for Judge Michael Anello on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California before joining public service in 2014 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in California’s Southern District. His work has included narcotics trafficking cases as well as investigations into money laundering and tax crimes.
McDonald also served as a Special Attorney in Hawaii handling public corruption cases and later became Deputy Chief of Border Enforcement in Southern California. Most recently he was Associate Deputy Attorney General.
Grassley cited praise from Judge Harry Pregerson during a Ninth Circuit case: “I want to commend you on your candor, your openness, and your honesty with the Court… Maybe you’ll be U.S. Attorney someday.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee—led by a chairperson who oversees hearings such as this one—has broad influence over judicial nominations, legislation review, oversight of federal law enforcement agencies, civil rights issues, constitutional protections, and public safety across the United States (official website). The committee includes members from both major political parties (official website).
Grassley concluded: “That’s the sort of person we need leading national fraud enforcement. And I look forward to hearing from him today.”
