Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Public Policy & NGOs
Featured Stories
VoteVets Endorses Slate of Democratic House Candidates Ahead of Midterms
PORTLAND, Oregon, July 25 -- VoteVets issued the following news release on July 24, 2026:
* * *
VoteVets Endorses Slate of Democratic House Candidates Ahead of Midterms
Part of VoteVets' larger effort to elect more veterans to the U.S. Congress
-
Today, VoteVets endorsed a strong slate of Democratic candidates to represent our nation's veterans in the U.S. Congress: Chris Gallant (NY-1), Kristina Knickerbocker (OH-10), Dwayne Romero (CO-3), and Raymond Smith (NC-03).
"These four candidates - Chris, Kristina, Dwayne and Raymond - represent the very best of what our country has to offer. All ... Show Full Article PORTLAND, Oregon, July 25 -- VoteVets issued the following news release on July 24, 2026: * * * VoteVets Endorses Slate of Democratic House Candidates Ahead of Midterms Part of VoteVets' larger effort to elect more veterans to the U.S. Congress - Today, VoteVets endorsed a strong slate of Democratic candidates to represent our nation's veterans in the U.S. Congress: Chris Gallant (NY-1), Kristina Knickerbocker (OH-10), Dwayne Romero (CO-3), and Raymond Smith (NC-03). "These four candidates - Chris, Kristina, Dwayne and Raymond - represent the very best of what our country has to offer. Allfour represent different military groups as well as different states. It's yet another example of veterans being the most trusted and effective messengers this cycle, and a strong national strategy for Democrats," said VoteVets Senior Advisor Max Rose. "At VoteVets we support winners who have lived a life of service to our country and in our communities. Chris, Kristina, Dwayne, and Raymond have our full support ahead of the midterms, and they will play a critical role in helping us take back the U.S. Congress."
"I joined the Army at 17 because I felt called to serve, and that mission has guided every chapter of my life," said Chris Gallant, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 1st congressional district. "Whether in a combat zone, the control tower or the firehouse, I learned that service means showing up, working as a team and delivering when people are counting on you. I am honored to earn the endorsement of VoteVets and proud to stand alongside veterans across this country who are bringing that same sense of duty to public office."
"As a U.S. Air Force veteran who served a decade at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, I know firsthand what our Airmen, Guardians, civilians, and contractors sacrifice for this country. I led medical teams caring for our service members and their families, guided by the values the Air Force instilled in me: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all I do. It's time for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to be represented by someone who lives by those values and has served this country. I'm proud to have VoteVets standing with me in this fight," said Kristina Knickerbocker, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Ohio's 10th congressional district.
"I've spent my life answering the call to serve. When I raised my right hand and took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That wasn't just a promise for my time in uniform, it is a lifelong commitment to putting service before self," said Dwayne Romero, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Colorado's 3rd congressional district. "I'm honored to earn the endorsement of VoteVets, an organization that has never stopped fighting for our service members, veterans, military families, and the values we swore to defend. I'm proud to stand with them to bring more service-oriented leadership to Congress. Together, we can restore the belief that leadership is about serving others, protecting our democracy, and leaving our country stronger than we found it."
"VoteVets understands that patriotism is more than a slogan. It is a commitment to defend our Constitution, protect our democracy, and keep faith with every veteran and military family. As a combat veteran, I am proud and grateful to earn their endorsement, and I look forward to standing with them and Eastern North Carolina in the fight for our Democracy," said Raymond Smith, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina's 3rd congressional district.
Candidate Background:
Chris Gallant
Chris Gallant is a Black Hawk helicopter pilot for the New York Army National Guard, an air traffic controller, union leader, and volunteer firefighter committed to fighting for Suffolk County.
Chris is a proud son of Suffolk County who has spent his life serving his country. Following the September 11th terror attacks, Chris joined the Army at 17 years old. Chris trained extensively to become an air traffic controller, a role he served during his first tour to Kuwait in 2012. When he returned home, Chris joined the New York National Guard, where he was encouraged to enter training to become a Black Hawk helicopter pilot - and did. In 2022, Chris deployed again to the Middle East, this time as a Black Hawk pilot, serving as the first line of defense for America's diplomats and embassies abroad.
Back in the states, Chris continued to serve his country on the frontlines of some of the greatest missions of the last decade. Following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Chris was assigned to a specialized unit in the National Guard providing air support to the Secret Service up and down the eastern seaboard, protecting both parties' Presidential nominees. During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Chris provided site leadership and management at New York's Javits Center, helping to turn the convention center into one of the largest hubs in the country for treating coronavirus patients during the pandemic's peak. As a volunteer firefighter, Chris stepped up to fight the 2025 Pine Barrens wildfire, and remains an active volunteer firefighter with the Copiague Fire Department today.
Between deployments, Chris earned his Bachelor's degree in Aviation Management from Dowling College in 2014, and went to work as an air traffic controller. In the control tower, Chris served as a local union president for the National Air Traffic Controller Association where he advocated for fairer compensation and rest requirements for air traffic controllers. Most recently, Chris worked at New York's John F. Kennedy airport, one of the busiest airspaces in the nation.
Chris lives in Suffolk with his fiance Mike, a member of the Army National Guard. A born and bred Long Islander, Chris is committed to across party lines for a more affordable Long Island - from families looking to buy their first home, to lifelong Long Islanders being priced out of their own neighborhoods.
From combat zones to the control tower, to the firehouse, Chris has delivered when it mattered most. Now, he's ready to serve again.
Kristina Knickerbocker
U.S. Air Force Veteran, Oncology Nurse Practitioner, and mom of two - Kristina Knickerbocker's life has been dedicated to serving our country and our community.
Growing up, Kristina and her family enjoyed church and volunteered with local food pantries. She learned the meaning of hard work early, juggling multiple jobs to put herself through school. Passionate about helping people, Kristina followed in her grandmother's footsteps and pursued her nursing degree before joining the Air Force.
Her service in the Air Force brought her to the Miami Valley. As a major and nurse in the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Kristina led teams to improve medical care for active duty, veterans, and military families. Her work was instrumental in developing and implementing solutions that directly resulted in better health outcomes and increased medical readiness for servicemembers. To continue her service, she transitioned to the 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron where she bolstered deployment readiness for both military and humanitarian objectives.
While serving in the Air Force Reserves, Kristina found her passion while working at The Ohio State University Medical Center as a Neuro-Oncology Nurse Practitioner, helping cancer patients across the region. She has witnessed the broken healthcare system firsthand - from understaffed facilities to skyrocketing premiums and prescription costs that force patients to choose between treatment and groceries.
The healthcare system failed Kristina during her pregnancy and second childbirth when frightening complications resulting from not being listened to by medical professionals proved nearly fatal. This eye-opening and painful journey underscored the importance of patients being their own advocates.
Today, Kristina and her husband Bret, an attorney and small business leader, are proudly raising their two young children in the Yellow Springs area near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Dwyane Romero
Dwayne Romero has spent his life serving his country and his community- from graduating at West Point and fighting in the First Gulf War to being elected to positions on his local city council and school board. Now, Dwayne is running for Congress to fight back against Washington D.C.'s chaos, end Trump's reckless war in Iran, and reverse healthcare cuts that are hurting our rural communities. Dwayne has lived in the district for over 30 years with his wife Margaret, where they raised three daughters.
Raymond Smith
Dr. Raymond E. Smith, Jr. is a former educator, decorated combat veteran, and two-term legislator, representing Wayne and Sampson Counties in the North Carolina General Assembly. Born and raised in Goldsboro, Raymond's role models in life have been his parents, Raymond Sr. and Thelma. Through the example of his father's time as a U.S. Marine and his mother's eighteen years of service as a member of the Wayne County School Board, Raymond learned a strong sense of duty and dedication to his community from an early age.
Raymond is a proud graduate of Goldsboro High School and holds three degrees from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including a Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management from NC A&T State University, a Masters in Public Administration from NC Central University, and a Doctorate in Education Leadership from Fayetteville State University. Those institutions instilled a deep commitment to service, equity, and opportunity in Raymond, and they continue to guide how he approaches public leadership. Prior to serving in the General Assembly, Raymond served his community as an educator and football coach, and made history as the first African American at-large member on the Wayne County Board of Education, where he also served as vice chairman. A decorated Gulf War combat veteran and former military policeman, Raymond served his country in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve, a record of service he continues today.
Following his time in the military, Raymond was hired by Wayne County to oversee the transition of paratransit service from private to local management and successfully reined in excessive costs, creating significant savings for Wayne County taxpayers. Following his success in Wayne County, he was hired by NCDOT as a statewide transportation planner, helping develop new public transportation systems across North Carolina, including in Eastern North Carolina.
In 2016, Raymond was elected to the At-Large seat on the Wayne County Board of Education, becoming the first African American member to hold the At-Large seat. Serving as Vice Chairman of the Board, Raymond pushed to prioritize the well-being of the district's children, leading the fight against overcrowding in the county's schools.
While in the state legislature, Raymond served on committees focusing on Education, Local Government, Finance, Military & Veterans Affairs, Appropriations, and Transportation. During his two terms, he proudly introduced legislation to invest in public education, revitalize communities in Eastern North Carolina, and to expand Medicaid to more than 600,000 North Carolinians who are now able to receive care.
Raymond resides in Goldsboro with his wife, Dr. Cortrina Smith, their three sons, Christopher, Myles, and Maxwell, and two daughters, Tracy and Ashley. He is an active community leader, serving as a Trustee at St. James AME Zion Church and participating in organizations like the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the Prince Hall Affiliated Free and Accepted Masons.
* * *
Original text here: https://votevets.org/press-releases/votevets-endorses-slate-of-democratic-house-candidates-ahead-of-midterms
[Category: Political]
* * *
VoteVets Endorses Slate of Democratic House Candidates Ahead of Midterms
Part of VoteVets' larger effort to elect more veterans to the U.S. Congress
-
Today, VoteVets endorsed a strong slate of Democratic candidates to represent our nation's veterans in the U.S. Congress: Chris Gallant (NY-1), Kristina Knickerbocker (OH-10), Dwayne Romero (CO-3), and Raymond Smith (NC-03).
"These four candidates - Chris, Kristina, Dwayne and Raymond - represent the very best of what our country has to offer. All ... Show Full Article PORTLAND, Oregon, July 25 -- VoteVets issued the following news release on July 24, 2026: * * * VoteVets Endorses Slate of Democratic House Candidates Ahead of Midterms Part of VoteVets' larger effort to elect more veterans to the U.S. Congress - Today, VoteVets endorsed a strong slate of Democratic candidates to represent our nation's veterans in the U.S. Congress: Chris Gallant (NY-1), Kristina Knickerbocker (OH-10), Dwayne Romero (CO-3), and Raymond Smith (NC-03). "These four candidates - Chris, Kristina, Dwayne and Raymond - represent the very best of what our country has to offer. Allfour represent different military groups as well as different states. It's yet another example of veterans being the most trusted and effective messengers this cycle, and a strong national strategy for Democrats," said VoteVets Senior Advisor Max Rose. "At VoteVets we support winners who have lived a life of service to our country and in our communities. Chris, Kristina, Dwayne, and Raymond have our full support ahead of the midterms, and they will play a critical role in helping us take back the U.S. Congress."
"I joined the Army at 17 because I felt called to serve, and that mission has guided every chapter of my life," said Chris Gallant, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 1st congressional district. "Whether in a combat zone, the control tower or the firehouse, I learned that service means showing up, working as a team and delivering when people are counting on you. I am honored to earn the endorsement of VoteVets and proud to stand alongside veterans across this country who are bringing that same sense of duty to public office."
"As a U.S. Air Force veteran who served a decade at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, I know firsthand what our Airmen, Guardians, civilians, and contractors sacrifice for this country. I led medical teams caring for our service members and their families, guided by the values the Air Force instilled in me: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all I do. It's time for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to be represented by someone who lives by those values and has served this country. I'm proud to have VoteVets standing with me in this fight," said Kristina Knickerbocker, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Ohio's 10th congressional district.
"I've spent my life answering the call to serve. When I raised my right hand and took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That wasn't just a promise for my time in uniform, it is a lifelong commitment to putting service before self," said Dwayne Romero, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Colorado's 3rd congressional district. "I'm honored to earn the endorsement of VoteVets, an organization that has never stopped fighting for our service members, veterans, military families, and the values we swore to defend. I'm proud to stand with them to bring more service-oriented leadership to Congress. Together, we can restore the belief that leadership is about serving others, protecting our democracy, and leaving our country stronger than we found it."
"VoteVets understands that patriotism is more than a slogan. It is a commitment to defend our Constitution, protect our democracy, and keep faith with every veteran and military family. As a combat veteran, I am proud and grateful to earn their endorsement, and I look forward to standing with them and Eastern North Carolina in the fight for our Democracy," said Raymond Smith, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina's 3rd congressional district.
Candidate Background:
Chris Gallant
Chris Gallant is a Black Hawk helicopter pilot for the New York Army National Guard, an air traffic controller, union leader, and volunteer firefighter committed to fighting for Suffolk County.
Chris is a proud son of Suffolk County who has spent his life serving his country. Following the September 11th terror attacks, Chris joined the Army at 17 years old. Chris trained extensively to become an air traffic controller, a role he served during his first tour to Kuwait in 2012. When he returned home, Chris joined the New York National Guard, where he was encouraged to enter training to become a Black Hawk helicopter pilot - and did. In 2022, Chris deployed again to the Middle East, this time as a Black Hawk pilot, serving as the first line of defense for America's diplomats and embassies abroad.
Back in the states, Chris continued to serve his country on the frontlines of some of the greatest missions of the last decade. Following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Chris was assigned to a specialized unit in the National Guard providing air support to the Secret Service up and down the eastern seaboard, protecting both parties' Presidential nominees. During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Chris provided site leadership and management at New York's Javits Center, helping to turn the convention center into one of the largest hubs in the country for treating coronavirus patients during the pandemic's peak. As a volunteer firefighter, Chris stepped up to fight the 2025 Pine Barrens wildfire, and remains an active volunteer firefighter with the Copiague Fire Department today.
Between deployments, Chris earned his Bachelor's degree in Aviation Management from Dowling College in 2014, and went to work as an air traffic controller. In the control tower, Chris served as a local union president for the National Air Traffic Controller Association where he advocated for fairer compensation and rest requirements for air traffic controllers. Most recently, Chris worked at New York's John F. Kennedy airport, one of the busiest airspaces in the nation.
Chris lives in Suffolk with his fiance Mike, a member of the Army National Guard. A born and bred Long Islander, Chris is committed to across party lines for a more affordable Long Island - from families looking to buy their first home, to lifelong Long Islanders being priced out of their own neighborhoods.
From combat zones to the control tower, to the firehouse, Chris has delivered when it mattered most. Now, he's ready to serve again.
Kristina Knickerbocker
U.S. Air Force Veteran, Oncology Nurse Practitioner, and mom of two - Kristina Knickerbocker's life has been dedicated to serving our country and our community.
Growing up, Kristina and her family enjoyed church and volunteered with local food pantries. She learned the meaning of hard work early, juggling multiple jobs to put herself through school. Passionate about helping people, Kristina followed in her grandmother's footsteps and pursued her nursing degree before joining the Air Force.
Her service in the Air Force brought her to the Miami Valley. As a major and nurse in the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Kristina led teams to improve medical care for active duty, veterans, and military families. Her work was instrumental in developing and implementing solutions that directly resulted in better health outcomes and increased medical readiness for servicemembers. To continue her service, she transitioned to the 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron where she bolstered deployment readiness for both military and humanitarian objectives.
While serving in the Air Force Reserves, Kristina found her passion while working at The Ohio State University Medical Center as a Neuro-Oncology Nurse Practitioner, helping cancer patients across the region. She has witnessed the broken healthcare system firsthand - from understaffed facilities to skyrocketing premiums and prescription costs that force patients to choose between treatment and groceries.
The healthcare system failed Kristina during her pregnancy and second childbirth when frightening complications resulting from not being listened to by medical professionals proved nearly fatal. This eye-opening and painful journey underscored the importance of patients being their own advocates.
Today, Kristina and her husband Bret, an attorney and small business leader, are proudly raising their two young children in the Yellow Springs area near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Dwyane Romero
Dwayne Romero has spent his life serving his country and his community- from graduating at West Point and fighting in the First Gulf War to being elected to positions on his local city council and school board. Now, Dwayne is running for Congress to fight back against Washington D.C.'s chaos, end Trump's reckless war in Iran, and reverse healthcare cuts that are hurting our rural communities. Dwayne has lived in the district for over 30 years with his wife Margaret, where they raised three daughters.
Raymond Smith
Dr. Raymond E. Smith, Jr. is a former educator, decorated combat veteran, and two-term legislator, representing Wayne and Sampson Counties in the North Carolina General Assembly. Born and raised in Goldsboro, Raymond's role models in life have been his parents, Raymond Sr. and Thelma. Through the example of his father's time as a U.S. Marine and his mother's eighteen years of service as a member of the Wayne County School Board, Raymond learned a strong sense of duty and dedication to his community from an early age.
Raymond is a proud graduate of Goldsboro High School and holds three degrees from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including a Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management from NC A&T State University, a Masters in Public Administration from NC Central University, and a Doctorate in Education Leadership from Fayetteville State University. Those institutions instilled a deep commitment to service, equity, and opportunity in Raymond, and they continue to guide how he approaches public leadership. Prior to serving in the General Assembly, Raymond served his community as an educator and football coach, and made history as the first African American at-large member on the Wayne County Board of Education, where he also served as vice chairman. A decorated Gulf War combat veteran and former military policeman, Raymond served his country in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve, a record of service he continues today.
Following his time in the military, Raymond was hired by Wayne County to oversee the transition of paratransit service from private to local management and successfully reined in excessive costs, creating significant savings for Wayne County taxpayers. Following his success in Wayne County, he was hired by NCDOT as a statewide transportation planner, helping develop new public transportation systems across North Carolina, including in Eastern North Carolina.
In 2016, Raymond was elected to the At-Large seat on the Wayne County Board of Education, becoming the first African American member to hold the At-Large seat. Serving as Vice Chairman of the Board, Raymond pushed to prioritize the well-being of the district's children, leading the fight against overcrowding in the county's schools.
While in the state legislature, Raymond served on committees focusing on Education, Local Government, Finance, Military & Veterans Affairs, Appropriations, and Transportation. During his two terms, he proudly introduced legislation to invest in public education, revitalize communities in Eastern North Carolina, and to expand Medicaid to more than 600,000 North Carolinians who are now able to receive care.
Raymond resides in Goldsboro with his wife, Dr. Cortrina Smith, their three sons, Christopher, Myles, and Maxwell, and two daughters, Tracy and Ashley. He is an active community leader, serving as a Trustee at St. James AME Zion Church and participating in organizations like the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the Prince Hall Affiliated Free and Accepted Masons.
* * *
Original text here: https://votevets.org/press-releases/votevets-endorses-slate-of-democratic-house-candidates-ahead-of-midterms
[Category: Political]
Save the Sound Applauds New Proposed Air Monitoring Requirement for Brookfield Compressor Station; Highlights New Carbon Monoxide Concerns
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, July 25 -- Save the Sound issued the following news release on July 24, 2026:
* * *
Save the Sound applauds new proposed air monitoring requirement for Brookfield compressor station; highlights new carbon monoxide concerns
Public hearing and comment critical to protect environment
-
Save the Sound is pleased by the announcement Friday that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has opened a new public comment period on Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P.'s proposed expansion of its Brookfield Compressor Station. Save the Sound is also pleased ... Show Full Article NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, July 25 -- Save the Sound issued the following news release on July 24, 2026: * * * Save the Sound applauds new proposed air monitoring requirement for Brookfield compressor station; highlights new carbon monoxide concerns Public hearing and comment critical to protect environment - Save the Sound is pleased by the announcement Friday that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has opened a new public comment period on Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P.'s proposed expansion of its Brookfield Compressor Station. Save the Sound is also pleasedthat DEEP has proposed adding air monitoring requirements for the Brookfield compressor station. However, Save the Sound is concerned that DEEP is also revising carbon monoxide emissions limits in a way that increases, rather than decreases, the impact to public health.
The new comment period allows Save the Sound and any other concerned residents to petition for an adjudicatory hearing challenging the permit.
Save the Sound first petitioned for an adjudicatory hearing more than ten months ago under the previous notice. Read more about the project and Save the Sound's concerns in the September 17, 2025 press release.
"We're encouraged that the Governor and DEEP have indicated they will require air quality monitoring," said Jessica Roberts, Connecticut staff attorney at Save the Sound. "But the state of Connecticut can't protect its residents, keep its air clean, and meet its greenhouse gas reduction obligations if it keeps allowing expansions of gas infrastructure without appropriate safeguards."
In a formal response issued Friday afternoon, DEEP replied to previous public comments. This response to comments will be available on DEEP's Adjudications website shortly as an attachment to the Hearing Officer Report for this matter. In addition, DEEP provided revised draft permits, which require Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems for nitrogen oxides at the site and raise the emissions limit for carbon monoxide.
"Requiring more consistent and advanced air quality monitoring is a critical step for transparency and public health, but we remain deeply concerned about this project's impacts, including its carbon monoxide emissions," said Roberts. "Brookfield already has elevated levels of ozone, which worsens asthma and bronchitis and can damage airways. Expanding the Brookfield Compressor Station to supply gas to New York needlessly burdens Connecticut residents, degrading their air quality and threatening their health and safety."
DEEP's notice of the 30-day public comment period can be viewed here. This notice also contains links to the revised draft permits for Iroquois. Save the Sound encourages all concerned Connecticut residents to look for more information and to submit comments.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.savethesound.org/2026/07/24/press-release-save-the-sound-applauds-new-proposed-air-monitoring-requirement-for-brookfield-compressor-station-highlights-new-carbon-monoxide-concerns/
[Category: Environment]
* * *
Save the Sound applauds new proposed air monitoring requirement for Brookfield compressor station; highlights new carbon monoxide concerns
Public hearing and comment critical to protect environment
-
Save the Sound is pleased by the announcement Friday that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has opened a new public comment period on Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P.'s proposed expansion of its Brookfield Compressor Station. Save the Sound is also pleased ... Show Full Article NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, July 25 -- Save the Sound issued the following news release on July 24, 2026: * * * Save the Sound applauds new proposed air monitoring requirement for Brookfield compressor station; highlights new carbon monoxide concerns Public hearing and comment critical to protect environment - Save the Sound is pleased by the announcement Friday that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has opened a new public comment period on Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P.'s proposed expansion of its Brookfield Compressor Station. Save the Sound is also pleasedthat DEEP has proposed adding air monitoring requirements for the Brookfield compressor station. However, Save the Sound is concerned that DEEP is also revising carbon monoxide emissions limits in a way that increases, rather than decreases, the impact to public health.
The new comment period allows Save the Sound and any other concerned residents to petition for an adjudicatory hearing challenging the permit.
Save the Sound first petitioned for an adjudicatory hearing more than ten months ago under the previous notice. Read more about the project and Save the Sound's concerns in the September 17, 2025 press release.
"We're encouraged that the Governor and DEEP have indicated they will require air quality monitoring," said Jessica Roberts, Connecticut staff attorney at Save the Sound. "But the state of Connecticut can't protect its residents, keep its air clean, and meet its greenhouse gas reduction obligations if it keeps allowing expansions of gas infrastructure without appropriate safeguards."
In a formal response issued Friday afternoon, DEEP replied to previous public comments. This response to comments will be available on DEEP's Adjudications website shortly as an attachment to the Hearing Officer Report for this matter. In addition, DEEP provided revised draft permits, which require Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems for nitrogen oxides at the site and raise the emissions limit for carbon monoxide.
"Requiring more consistent and advanced air quality monitoring is a critical step for transparency and public health, but we remain deeply concerned about this project's impacts, including its carbon monoxide emissions," said Roberts. "Brookfield already has elevated levels of ozone, which worsens asthma and bronchitis and can damage airways. Expanding the Brookfield Compressor Station to supply gas to New York needlessly burdens Connecticut residents, degrading their air quality and threatening their health and safety."
DEEP's notice of the 30-day public comment period can be viewed here. This notice also contains links to the revised draft permits for Iroquois. Save the Sound encourages all concerned Connecticut residents to look for more information and to submit comments.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.savethesound.org/2026/07/24/press-release-save-the-sound-applauds-new-proposed-air-monitoring-requirement-for-brookfield-compressor-station-highlights-new-carbon-monoxide-concerns/
[Category: Environment]
Sanofi Made False Claims About RSV Shot for Infants, FDA Says
FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, July 25 -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following news:
* * *
Sanofi Made False Claims About RSV Shot for Infants, FDA Says
In a letter to the drugmaker, the FDA said the agency approved Beyfortus, an RSV monoclonal antibody, as a defense against RSV lower respiratory tract disease -- but that Sanofi has been claiming it protects broadly against RSV disease, which occurs in the lower and upper tracts. Beyfortus has come under scrutiny ... Show Full Article FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, July 25 -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following news: * * * Sanofi Made False Claims About RSV Shot for Infants, FDA Says In a letter to the drugmaker, the FDA said the agency approved Beyfortus, an RSV monoclonal antibody, as a defense against RSV lower respiratory tract disease -- but that Sanofi has been claiming it protects broadly against RSV disease, which occurs in the lower and upper tracts. Beyfortus has come under scrutinyfollowing reports of at least two infant deaths during clinical trials for the drug.
by Brenda Baletti, Ph.D.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is accusing Sanofi of making false or misleading promotional claims about Beyfortus, a preventative treatment for RSV, Fierce Pharma reported.
In a letter to the drugmaker, the FDA said it approved Beyfortus specifically as a defense against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract disease -- but that Sanofi has been claiming it protects broadly against RSV disease, which occurs in the lower and upper tracts.
The company has sent providers emails urging them to give the shot to "help prevent RSV disease in infants."
The promotional materials included other similar statements, including, "Beyfortus is a monoclonal antibody that helps prevent RSV disease starting from Day 1 after injection," and "Your efforts in immunizing infants against RSV disease can impact the population health burden in your community."
The FDA said that language creates the "misleading impression" that the drug prevents RSV disease generally.
FDA asks Sanofi to take immediate action to stop misbranding RSV shot
Beyfortus, a monoclonal antibody manufactured by Sanofi and AstraZeneca, was approved by the FDA in 2023. Unlike a vaccine, monoclonal antibodies provide passive immunity by delivering laboratory-produced antibodies designed to protect infants against severe RSV disease.
The FDA emphasized that Beyfortus is specifically approved for the prevention of RSV lower respiratory tract disease -- not RSV infection or upper respiratory tract illness generally.
The agency noted that while the promotional emails later referred to protecting infants from "RSV-LRTI," lower respiratory tract infection, that clarification did not adequately correct the overall impression created by the broader claims appearing earlier in the communications.
"By failing to adequately communicate the indication for Beyfortus, the emails create a misleading impression about the drug's FDA-approved indication," the letter states.
The agency concluded that the promotional materials "misbrand Beyfortus" under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).
The FDA requested that Sanofi take immediate action to stop disseminating the promotional communications or other materials containing similar representations.
The agency also instructed the company to submit a written response within 15 working days detailing all Beyfortus promotional communications containing comparable claims, along with its plan to discontinue or correct them.
If Sanofi believes its promotional materials do not violate federal law, FDA said the company may provide its reasoning and supporting evidence as part of its response.
Untitled Letter asks for voluntary compliance
The letter was an Untitled Letter issued by the FDA's Office of Prescription Drug Promotion, which monitors prescription drug advertising and marketing to ensure promotional claims are truthful, balanced, and consistent with approved labeling.
An Untitled Letter is one of the agency's primary enforcement tools for promotional violations. However, the letter only notifies a company that FDA believes its promotional practices violate the FD&C Act and requests voluntary corrective action.
It does not carry the legal weight of a Warning Letter, which demands corrective action. Failure to adequately respond to a Warning Letter can lead to enforcement actions such as seizures or injunctions.
The agency noted that the concerns described in the letter "do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list of potential violations," and reminded Sanofi that it is responsible for ensuring all promotional materials comply with applicable federal law.
Concerns with Sanofi's products for infants
Last year, the FDA launched a safety review of the RSV shots, including Beyfortus and Merck's Enflonsia, given to infants to protect against the virus.
Safety questions first surfaced during the summer, when Tracy Beth Hoeg, Ph.D., then a senior adviser to the FDA, raised concerns, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon told Reuters.
Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in August 2023 recommended that newborns get the Beyfortus shot. The FDA approved the shots for babies and toddlers in July 2023.
Members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made the recommendation despite concerns raised by critics at the time that there were several deaths, along with other adverse events, among infants who received the drug during the clinical trials.
In one clinical trial for the drug, there were higher instances of infant deaths among babies who received Beyfortus. In another, immunized babies admitted to the hospital for RSV-related illness stayed longer than non-immunized babies with the same condition, raising concerns that the shot may have worsened their illness.
In October 2024, Sanofi shut down its clinical trial for an RSV vaccine for infants and toddlers, saying that it did not produce the efficacy they were hoping for. A Defender report published last week revealed that, according to documents obtained via a Freedom of Information request, one child died during the trial.
Another Defender report revealed in 2024 that at least two infant deaths reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) as occurring after the babies mistakenly received Pfizer's adult RSV vaccine were likely caused instead by Beyfortus.
* * *
Brenda Baletti, Ph.D., is a senior reporter for The Defender. She wrote and taught about capitalism and politics for 10 years in the writing program at Duke University. She holds a Ph.D. in human geography from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master's from the University of Texas at Austin.
* * *
Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/sanofi-false-claims-rsv-shot-infants-fda-says/
[Category: Health Care]
* * *
Sanofi Made False Claims About RSV Shot for Infants, FDA Says
In a letter to the drugmaker, the FDA said the agency approved Beyfortus, an RSV monoclonal antibody, as a defense against RSV lower respiratory tract disease -- but that Sanofi has been claiming it protects broadly against RSV disease, which occurs in the lower and upper tracts. Beyfortus has come under scrutiny ... Show Full Article FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, July 25 -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following news: * * * Sanofi Made False Claims About RSV Shot for Infants, FDA Says In a letter to the drugmaker, the FDA said the agency approved Beyfortus, an RSV monoclonal antibody, as a defense against RSV lower respiratory tract disease -- but that Sanofi has been claiming it protects broadly against RSV disease, which occurs in the lower and upper tracts. Beyfortus has come under scrutinyfollowing reports of at least two infant deaths during clinical trials for the drug.
by Brenda Baletti, Ph.D.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is accusing Sanofi of making false or misleading promotional claims about Beyfortus, a preventative treatment for RSV, Fierce Pharma reported.
In a letter to the drugmaker, the FDA said it approved Beyfortus specifically as a defense against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract disease -- but that Sanofi has been claiming it protects broadly against RSV disease, which occurs in the lower and upper tracts.
The company has sent providers emails urging them to give the shot to "help prevent RSV disease in infants."
The promotional materials included other similar statements, including, "Beyfortus is a monoclonal antibody that helps prevent RSV disease starting from Day 1 after injection," and "Your efforts in immunizing infants against RSV disease can impact the population health burden in your community."
The FDA said that language creates the "misleading impression" that the drug prevents RSV disease generally.
FDA asks Sanofi to take immediate action to stop misbranding RSV shot
Beyfortus, a monoclonal antibody manufactured by Sanofi and AstraZeneca, was approved by the FDA in 2023. Unlike a vaccine, monoclonal antibodies provide passive immunity by delivering laboratory-produced antibodies designed to protect infants against severe RSV disease.
The FDA emphasized that Beyfortus is specifically approved for the prevention of RSV lower respiratory tract disease -- not RSV infection or upper respiratory tract illness generally.
The agency noted that while the promotional emails later referred to protecting infants from "RSV-LRTI," lower respiratory tract infection, that clarification did not adequately correct the overall impression created by the broader claims appearing earlier in the communications.
"By failing to adequately communicate the indication for Beyfortus, the emails create a misleading impression about the drug's FDA-approved indication," the letter states.
The agency concluded that the promotional materials "misbrand Beyfortus" under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).
The FDA requested that Sanofi take immediate action to stop disseminating the promotional communications or other materials containing similar representations.
The agency also instructed the company to submit a written response within 15 working days detailing all Beyfortus promotional communications containing comparable claims, along with its plan to discontinue or correct them.
If Sanofi believes its promotional materials do not violate federal law, FDA said the company may provide its reasoning and supporting evidence as part of its response.
Untitled Letter asks for voluntary compliance
The letter was an Untitled Letter issued by the FDA's Office of Prescription Drug Promotion, which monitors prescription drug advertising and marketing to ensure promotional claims are truthful, balanced, and consistent with approved labeling.
An Untitled Letter is one of the agency's primary enforcement tools for promotional violations. However, the letter only notifies a company that FDA believes its promotional practices violate the FD&C Act and requests voluntary corrective action.
It does not carry the legal weight of a Warning Letter, which demands corrective action. Failure to adequately respond to a Warning Letter can lead to enforcement actions such as seizures or injunctions.
The agency noted that the concerns described in the letter "do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list of potential violations," and reminded Sanofi that it is responsible for ensuring all promotional materials comply with applicable federal law.
Concerns with Sanofi's products for infants
Last year, the FDA launched a safety review of the RSV shots, including Beyfortus and Merck's Enflonsia, given to infants to protect against the virus.
Safety questions first surfaced during the summer, when Tracy Beth Hoeg, Ph.D., then a senior adviser to the FDA, raised concerns, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon told Reuters.
Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in August 2023 recommended that newborns get the Beyfortus shot. The FDA approved the shots for babies and toddlers in July 2023.
Members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made the recommendation despite concerns raised by critics at the time that there were several deaths, along with other adverse events, among infants who received the drug during the clinical trials.
In one clinical trial for the drug, there were higher instances of infant deaths among babies who received Beyfortus. In another, immunized babies admitted to the hospital for RSV-related illness stayed longer than non-immunized babies with the same condition, raising concerns that the shot may have worsened their illness.
In October 2024, Sanofi shut down its clinical trial for an RSV vaccine for infants and toddlers, saying that it did not produce the efficacy they were hoping for. A Defender report published last week revealed that, according to documents obtained via a Freedom of Information request, one child died during the trial.
Another Defender report revealed in 2024 that at least two infant deaths reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) as occurring after the babies mistakenly received Pfizer's adult RSV vaccine were likely caused instead by Beyfortus.
* * *
Brenda Baletti, Ph.D., is a senior reporter for The Defender. She wrote and taught about capitalism and politics for 10 years in the writing program at Duke University. She holds a Ph.D. in human geography from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master's from the University of Texas at Austin.
* * *
Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/sanofi-false-claims-rsv-shot-infants-fda-says/
[Category: Health Care]
ICYMI: Club for Growth President McIntosh - "Lawmakers Must Keep Blockchain Innovation in America"
WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Club for Growth, an advocacy organization, issued the following news release on July 24, 2026:
* * *
ICYMI: Club for Growth President McIntosh: "Lawmakers Must Keep Blockchain Innovation in America"
In case you missed it, Club for Growth President David McIntosh published an op-ed in Newsweek urging Senators to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. McIntosh, a former Member of Congress and former Executive Director of the President's Council on Competitiveness, argues that without Congressional action on digital assets, bureaucratic agencies will fill the void and ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Club for Growth, an advocacy organization, issued the following news release on July 24, 2026: * * * ICYMI: Club for Growth President McIntosh: "Lawmakers Must Keep Blockchain Innovation in America" In case you missed it, Club for Growth President David McIntosh published an op-ed in Newsweek urging Senators to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. McIntosh, a former Member of Congress and former Executive Director of the President's Council on Competitiveness, argues that without Congressional action on digital assets, bureaucratic agencies will fill the void andthreaten innovation in America.
Click here (https://www.newsweek.com/lawmakers-must-keep-blockchain-innovation-in-america-opinion-12233979) to read the full piece in Newsweek.
EXCERPTS:
Throughout American history, many of the technologies that transformed the world economy were commercialized, scaled and brought to their greatest potential here. Not because government picked the winners or required innovators to seek permission before building, but because America provided entrepreneurs with something more valuable: clear, fair and limited rules that punish fraud, protect consumers, uphold property and freedom-of-contract rights, and otherwise leave room for innovation.
Railroads. Aviation. The internet. Artificial intelligence.
Each became an American success story because innovators knew the rules of the road. Today, blockchain technology deserves the same opportunity.
For years, America has produced many of the world's most talented blockchain entrepreneurs, investors and engineers. Yet too many have been forced to build amid regulatory uncertainty. Rather than clear laws enacted by Congress, the industry has often faced shifting interpretations, overlapping jurisdictions and regulation through enforcement.
As a former member of Congress and executive director of the President's Council on Competitiveness, I saw firsthand how quickly regulation can fall behind a changing economy. When Congress fails to act, agencies fill the vacuum. With digital assets, years of hesitation have produced uncertainty because lawmakers have not provided the clarity only Congress can deliver.
That uncertainty carries real consequences.
When businesses cannot determine which rules apply or even which regulator has authority, investment slows and innovation moves elsewhere. We are already seeing jurisdictions such as the European Union establish comprehensive digital asset frameworks while the United States continues debating basic questions of market structure. The technology, however, is not waiting.
Blockchain has evolved far beyond speculative trading. Stablecoins are strengthening the digital use of the U.S. dollar. More than $30 billion in real-world assets are already represented on blockchain networks, including roughly $15 billion in tokenized U.S. Treasuries. Financial institutions increasingly recognize that tokenization can modernize capital markets through faster settlement, greater transparency, and broader access to investment opportunities.
...
The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act is an opportunity for Congress to replace uncertainty with durable law. Rather than asking regulators to stretch decades-old statutes to fit entirely new technologies, the legislation establishes a modern, light-touch market structure, clarifies regulatory responsibilities, creates predictable compliance pathways, strengthens disclosure requirements and reinforces protections against fraud, market manipulation and illicit finance.
Critics sometimes frame this as a choice between innovation and regulation. It is a false choice.
Well-designed, light-touch regulation makes innovation stronger because it gives honest businesses confidence to invest while allowing regulators to focus their resources on actual misconduct. The goal should be straightforward: police fraud, theft, manipulation and illicit finance while preserving property rights, freedom of contract and the space for lawful innovation. Clear rules protect consumers. They strengthen markets and reward compliance. Just as importantly, they preserve competition.
That same principle must extend to the people who build the underlying technology. Developers who do not take custody of or exercise control over customer assets should not be treated as financial intermediaries. Technical talent is highly mobile. If American law exposes builders to rules designed for institutions that actually hold or move customer funds, many will simply build elsewhere--and investment will follow them.
New technologies often challenge existing business models, and the role of government has never been to protect incumbents from competition or give regulators the power to preapprove innovation. It has been to ensure that competition occurs on fair, transparent and lawful terms.
American-founded companies such as Coinbase, Circle, Lumia and many others should be building and hiring under clear American laws. They should not be designing their businesses around regulatory uncertainty or considering whether innovation would be easier somewhere else.
This debate is about much more than one industry. Financial infrastructure is becoming a strategic national asset. The standards adopted today will influence how capital moves, how assets are issued and how global markets operate for decades to come. America must lead that transformation.
I look to the future with cautious optimism. The House passed the CLARITY Act with broad bipartisan support, and the Senate Banking Committee has advanced its own version. That reflects a growing recognition that regulatory certainty is not a partisan issue. It is an economic imperative.
...
America became the world's innovation leader because we consistently chose freedom over constraint, competition over protectionism and clear laws over arbitrary discretion. Those principles built the internet economy. A similarly light-touch approach can secure America's leadership in digital finance as well.
The choice in front of the Senate is not complicated: watch the next generation of finance--and the developers, entrepreneurs and investment behind it--move outside the United States, or pass the CLARITY Act and keep innovation in America.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.clubforgrowth.org/icymi-club-for-growth-president-mcintosh-lawmakers-must-keep-blockchain-innovation-in-america/
[Category: Political]
* * *
ICYMI: Club for Growth President McIntosh: "Lawmakers Must Keep Blockchain Innovation in America"
In case you missed it, Club for Growth President David McIntosh published an op-ed in Newsweek urging Senators to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. McIntosh, a former Member of Congress and former Executive Director of the President's Council on Competitiveness, argues that without Congressional action on digital assets, bureaucratic agencies will fill the void and ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Club for Growth, an advocacy organization, issued the following news release on July 24, 2026: * * * ICYMI: Club for Growth President McIntosh: "Lawmakers Must Keep Blockchain Innovation in America" In case you missed it, Club for Growth President David McIntosh published an op-ed in Newsweek urging Senators to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. McIntosh, a former Member of Congress and former Executive Director of the President's Council on Competitiveness, argues that without Congressional action on digital assets, bureaucratic agencies will fill the void andthreaten innovation in America.
Click here (https://www.newsweek.com/lawmakers-must-keep-blockchain-innovation-in-america-opinion-12233979) to read the full piece in Newsweek.
EXCERPTS:
Throughout American history, many of the technologies that transformed the world economy were commercialized, scaled and brought to their greatest potential here. Not because government picked the winners or required innovators to seek permission before building, but because America provided entrepreneurs with something more valuable: clear, fair and limited rules that punish fraud, protect consumers, uphold property and freedom-of-contract rights, and otherwise leave room for innovation.
Railroads. Aviation. The internet. Artificial intelligence.
Each became an American success story because innovators knew the rules of the road. Today, blockchain technology deserves the same opportunity.
For years, America has produced many of the world's most talented blockchain entrepreneurs, investors and engineers. Yet too many have been forced to build amid regulatory uncertainty. Rather than clear laws enacted by Congress, the industry has often faced shifting interpretations, overlapping jurisdictions and regulation through enforcement.
As a former member of Congress and executive director of the President's Council on Competitiveness, I saw firsthand how quickly regulation can fall behind a changing economy. When Congress fails to act, agencies fill the vacuum. With digital assets, years of hesitation have produced uncertainty because lawmakers have not provided the clarity only Congress can deliver.
That uncertainty carries real consequences.
When businesses cannot determine which rules apply or even which regulator has authority, investment slows and innovation moves elsewhere. We are already seeing jurisdictions such as the European Union establish comprehensive digital asset frameworks while the United States continues debating basic questions of market structure. The technology, however, is not waiting.
Blockchain has evolved far beyond speculative trading. Stablecoins are strengthening the digital use of the U.S. dollar. More than $30 billion in real-world assets are already represented on blockchain networks, including roughly $15 billion in tokenized U.S. Treasuries. Financial institutions increasingly recognize that tokenization can modernize capital markets through faster settlement, greater transparency, and broader access to investment opportunities.
...
The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act is an opportunity for Congress to replace uncertainty with durable law. Rather than asking regulators to stretch decades-old statutes to fit entirely new technologies, the legislation establishes a modern, light-touch market structure, clarifies regulatory responsibilities, creates predictable compliance pathways, strengthens disclosure requirements and reinforces protections against fraud, market manipulation and illicit finance.
Critics sometimes frame this as a choice between innovation and regulation. It is a false choice.
Well-designed, light-touch regulation makes innovation stronger because it gives honest businesses confidence to invest while allowing regulators to focus their resources on actual misconduct. The goal should be straightforward: police fraud, theft, manipulation and illicit finance while preserving property rights, freedom of contract and the space for lawful innovation. Clear rules protect consumers. They strengthen markets and reward compliance. Just as importantly, they preserve competition.
That same principle must extend to the people who build the underlying technology. Developers who do not take custody of or exercise control over customer assets should not be treated as financial intermediaries. Technical talent is highly mobile. If American law exposes builders to rules designed for institutions that actually hold or move customer funds, many will simply build elsewhere--and investment will follow them.
New technologies often challenge existing business models, and the role of government has never been to protect incumbents from competition or give regulators the power to preapprove innovation. It has been to ensure that competition occurs on fair, transparent and lawful terms.
American-founded companies such as Coinbase, Circle, Lumia and many others should be building and hiring under clear American laws. They should not be designing their businesses around regulatory uncertainty or considering whether innovation would be easier somewhere else.
This debate is about much more than one industry. Financial infrastructure is becoming a strategic national asset. The standards adopted today will influence how capital moves, how assets are issued and how global markets operate for decades to come. America must lead that transformation.
I look to the future with cautious optimism. The House passed the CLARITY Act with broad bipartisan support, and the Senate Banking Committee has advanced its own version. That reflects a growing recognition that regulatory certainty is not a partisan issue. It is an economic imperative.
...
America became the world's innovation leader because we consistently chose freedom over constraint, competition over protectionism and clear laws over arbitrary discretion. Those principles built the internet economy. A similarly light-touch approach can secure America's leadership in digital finance as well.
The choice in front of the Senate is not complicated: watch the next generation of finance--and the developers, entrepreneurs and investment behind it--move outside the United States, or pass the CLARITY Act and keep innovation in America.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.clubforgrowth.org/icymi-club-for-growth-president-mcintosh-lawmakers-must-keep-blockchain-innovation-in-america/
[Category: Political]
CFP Board Promotes Public Trust With 14 Actions
WASHINGTON, July 25 -- The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards issued the following news release on July 24, 2026:
* * *
CFP Board Promotes Public Trust With 14 Actions
Upholding Ethical Standards in a Thriving Network of Over 109,000 CFP(R) Professionals
-
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board), a nonprofit organization with more than 109,000 CFP(R) professionals, today announced actions taken to uphold its ethical standards, imposing sanctions on fourteen individuals.
CFP Board is a professional body that has adopted a Code of Ethics and Standards of ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 25 -- The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards issued the following news release on July 24, 2026: * * * CFP Board Promotes Public Trust With 14 Actions Upholding Ethical Standards in a Thriving Network of Over 109,000 CFP(R) Professionals - Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board), a nonprofit organization with more than 109,000 CFP(R) professionals, today announced actions taken to uphold its ethical standards, imposing sanctions on fourteen individuals. CFP Board is a professional body that has adopted a Code of Ethics and Standards ofConduct (Code and Standards) that benefits and protects the public and advances financial planning as a distinct and valuable profession. The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(R) certification is the standard for financial planning. The Code and Standards requires that a CFP(R) professional meet certain duties when providing professional services to a client, and refrain from engaging in other misconduct that reflects adversely on their integrity or fitness as a certificant, on the CFP Board certification marks or on the profession. CFP(R) professionals make a commitment to CFP Board to abide by the Code and Standards, and their compliance reinforces the integrity of the CFP Board certification marks. CFP Board does not guarantee a CFP(R) professional's services, but it may sanction a CFP(R) professional who fails to uphold their commitment.
CFP Board's Fitness Standards for Candidates for CFP(R) Certification and Former CFP(R) Professionals Seeking Reinstatement ("Fitness Standards") sets the standards against which CFP Board evaluates the ethical fitness of those seeking CFP(R) certification. In some circumstances, CFP Board may determine an applicant is currently fit for CFP(R) certification and issue a public notice of their prior misconduct.
Information about how CFP Board addresses ethical issues involving CFP(R) professionals and those pursuing CFP(R) certification is available at CFP.net/enforcement.
At CFP.net/verify, the public can verify an individual's CFP(R) certification status. CFP Board also provides links to other sources of information about CFP(R) professionals that may be more recent or that may contain information that has not led to CFP Board discipline and does not appear on CFP Board's website, such as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (FINRA's) BrokerCheck and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC's) Investment Adviser Public Disclosure databases for individuals who are subject to FINRA or SEC oversight. CFP Board is not a federal, state or self-regulatory organization, and it does not sanction financial services firms.
The Public Sanctions on 14 Individuals
* * *
NAME ... LOCATION ... SANCTION
Stuart E. Wells ... Grand Junction, Colorado ... Suspension
Robert F. Sieja ... Wilmette, Illinois ... Suspension
Jason Kirsch ... Portland, Oregon ... Suspension
Ted A. Beer ... Scottsdale, Arizona ... Temporary Bar
Marcia L. Riner ... Las Vegas, Nevada ... Temporary Bar
James Migliore ... Belmar, New Jersey ... Temporary Bar
Devon DeVon Freeman ... Louisville, Kentucky ... Revocation
Christopher J. Asher ... Davidsonville, Maryland ... Revocation
Cynthia M. Bremer ... Gloucester, Massachusetts ... Revocation
David William Weigel ... New York, New York ... Revocation
Yonglin Ren ... Lincolnshire, Illinois ... Permanent Bar
Brent E. Ditto ... Elizabethtown, Kentucky ... Permanent Bar
Eric B. Kleiner ... Tenafly, New Jersey ... Permanent Bar
Edgardo Rey ... Austin, Texas ... Public Notice
* * *
Suspension
Colorado
Stuart E. Wells (Grand Junction, Colorado): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission issued an order imposing an automatic interim suspension of Mr. Wells's CFP(R) certification and right to use the CFP Board certification marks citing contempt orders entered against Mr. Wells by two Kansas state courts where he was named as a defendant. In March 2025, a court in Geary County entered a civil contempt order against Mr. Wells based, in part, on false testimony he provided about his role in preparing a client's letter to her bank. The court found that Mr. Wells's testimony denying any involvement in preparing the letter was not truthful, and that it contradicted the client who testified that Mr. Wells had in fact prepared the letter, had her sign it, and mailed it to the bank. In June 2025, a Saline County court also held Mr. Wells in contempt, finding that he had submitted "fake" legal citations. The June 2026 order suspending Mr. Wells's CFP(R) certification explains that because both civil contempt orders contain findings that Mr. Wells engaged in a misrepresentation or other dishonest conduct, each provides grounds for his interim suspension under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Mr. Wells's suspension, effective on June 12, 2026, will remain in place pending further disciplinary proceedings. Read the order: Case History 45677.
Illinois
Robert F. Sieja (Wilmette, Illinois): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order suspending Mr. Sieja's CFP(R) certification and right to use the CFP Board certification marks after he failed to respond to CFP Board's requests for information about an outstanding federal tax lien imposed on his property. Because Mr. Sieja failed to respond to CFP Board's investigation, he was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Sieja's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion seeking an administrative order of suspension, which counsel to the Commission granted on June 18, 2026. The order was effective July 18, 2026. Read the order: Case History 48669.
Oregon
Jason Kirsch (Portland, Oregon): In December 2025, CFP Board's Appeals Commission affirmed an April 2025 order from the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) suspending Mr. Kirsch's CFP(R)certification and right to use the CFP Board certification marks for a year and a day based on Mr. Kirsch's June 2024 Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. In a complaint filed against Mr. Kirsch in July 2024, CFP Board alleged that his bankruptcy filing violated Standard E.2.c of CFP Board's Code and Standards, which prohibits a CFP(R) professional from engaging in conduct that reflects adversely on their integrity or fitness as a CFP(R) professional, on the CFP(R) marks or on the profession. Mr. Kirsch, who disclosed his bankruptcy filing to CFP Board the same month it was filed, denied that the filing demonstrated an inability to manage his financial affairs responsibly, pointing to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors he says were outside of his control. The Commission disagreed, citing Mr. Kirsch's accumulation of debt starting years earlier and his investments in speculative ventures despite having inadequate savings or cash flow. Mr. Kirsch's suspension is effective from December 8, 2025, through December 8, 2026. Read the Commission's order: Case History 46810.
Temporary Bar
Arizona
Ted A. Beer (Scottsdale, Arizona): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order temporarily barring Mr. Beer from CFP(R) certification for failing to respond to CFP Board's requests for information about Mr. Beer's separation from his firm. The order cites Mr. Beer's alleged violation of firm policies and procedures concerning two clients seeking assignment to a different advisor. Because Mr. Beer did not respond to CFP Board's investigation, he was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Beer's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion seeking an administrative order barring Mr. Beer from applying for CFP(R) certification until he is deemed eligible under Article 4.6 of the Procedural Rules. Counsel to the Commission granted the motion on June 18, 2026. The order was effective on July 18, 2026. Read the order: Case History 48676.
Nevada
Marcia L. Riner (Las Vegas, Nevada): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order temporarily barring Ms. Riner from CFP(R) certification after Ms. Riner indicated that she would not participate in an investigation by CFP Board into her November 2024 Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. By declining to participate in the investigation, Ms. Riner was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Ms. Riner's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion seeking an administrative order barring her from applying for CFP(R) certification until she is deemed eligible under Article 4.6 of the Procedural Rules. Counsel to the Commission granted the motion on June 18, 2026. The order was effective on July 18, 2026. Read the order: Case History 48513.
New Jersey
James Migliore (Belmar, New Jersey): In June 2026, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order denying Mr. Migliore's petition for a determination that he is fit for CFP(R) certification and barring him from applying for certification for one year. Mr. Migliore was required to petition the Commission after disclosing two misdemeanor DUI convictions (2004 and 2014) and a 2010 bankruptcy filing. The Commission found that although the bankruptcy occurred many years ago, Mr. Migliore needed more time to demonstrate that he can manage his financial affairs responsibly. Mr. Migliore's temporary bar is effective from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2027. Read the Commission's order: Case History 47979.
Revocation
Kentucky
Devon DeVon Freeman (Louisville, Kentucky): In March 2026, CFP Board's Appeals Commission affirmed a November 2025 administrative order issued by counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) permanently revoking Mr. Freeman's CFP(R) certification after he failed to answer a complaint alleging violations of CFP Board's Code and Standards. The complaint, filed February 24, 2025, cites a January 2025 Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (AWC) Mr. Freeman entered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) in which he consented to a $10,000 fine and 8-month suspension for forging client signatures on variable insurance applications and other documents, and backdating one application. The AWC states that Mr. Freeman also used his personal cell phone to improperly exchange text messages with customers about securities business. Mr. Freeman was permitted to resign from his firm in February 2023, and the Kentucky Department of Insurance issued an order of revocation against Mr. Freeman in June 2023 after he failed to respond to its inquiries. Because Mr. Freeman failed to file an answer to the complaint against him, he was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Freeman's conduct, enforcement counsel filed a motion seeking an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Freeman's CFP(R) certification, which counsel to the Commission granted on November 11, 2025. The order was effective on March 23, 2026. Read the order: Case History 47660.
Maryland
Christopher J. Asher (Davidsonville, Maryland): In May 2026, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order finding Mr. Asher ineligible for the reinstatement of his CFP(R) certification following his suspension in August 2022 for conduct resulting in felony criminal charges against him. The order revokes Mr. Asher's right to use the CFP(R) certification marks and permanently bars him from obtaining CFP(R) certification. In determining that Mr. Asher had not proven his fitness for reinstatement, the Commission pointed to Mr. Asher's May 2024 bankruptcy filing as demonstrating his inability to manage his financial affairs. The Commission's order also cites CFP Board's Fitness Standards, which do not permit the certification of any applicant who has engaged in the type of conduct that resulted in Mr. Asher's felony criminal conviction. Mr. Asher's revocation and permanent bar were effective June 1, 2026. Read the Commission's order: Case History 48188.
Massachusetts
Cynthia M. Bremer (Gloucester, Massachusetts): In June 2026, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order revoking Ms. Bremer's CFP(R) certification for placing more than $6 million in unauthorized trades over a period of 15 months. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) issued Ms. Bremer a Cautionary Action Letter in March 2023 stating that she had violated FINRA Rules by executing 162 transactions in 59 clients' non-discretionary accounts without obtaining prior authorization. Ms. Bremer settled an arbitration complaint filed by one former client alleging a $40,000 loss from an unauthorized transaction Ms. Bremer placed. Ms. Bremer told CFP Board that she began placing trades to sell her clients' mutual fund shares in early 2020 to protect them from volatility in the securities markets brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. By the time Ms. Bremer re-established positions for her clients, the order states, mutual fund prices had already recovered following government action. The Commission found that by engaging in unauthorized trading, Ms. Bremer breached her fiduciary duty as a CFP(R) professional to act in the best interests of her clients when providing financial advice, in violation of Standard A.1 of CFP Board's Code and Standards. By failing to communicate with her clients until long after trades were made, the order states, Ms. Bremer also failed to provide professional services in a timely and thorough manner, as required by Standard A.4. The Commission also found that Ms. Bremer's violation of FINRA Rules violated CFP Board rules requiring that a CFP(R) professional comply with the laws, rules and regulations governing professional services. Ms. Bremer's revocation was effective July 2, 2026. Read the Commission's order: Case History 43947.
New York
David William Weigel (New York, New York): In May 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an administrative order revoking Mr. Weigel's CFP(R) certification after he failed to file an answer to CFP Board's complaint against him as required under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. The complaint alleges several violations of CFP Board's Code and Standards, according to the order, including violations arising out of Mr. Weigel's 2023 bankruptcy filing and his pattern of unprofessional, abusive and profane social media activity. In some of his online posts, the order states, Mr. Weigel sought to bolster his credibility by citing his CFP(R) certification. Because Mr. Weigel failed to file an answer in compliance with CFP Board's Procedural Rules and as directed by counsel to the Commission, he was in default under Articles 4.1.e and 4.1.h. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. Weigel's conduct, enforcement counsel filed a motion for an administrative order revoking his CFP(R) certification, which counsel for the Commission granted on May 21, 2026. The order was effective June 20, 2026. Read the Commission's order: Case History 46644.
Permanent Bar
Illinois
Yonglin Ren (Lincolnshire, Illinois): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Ren from obtaining CFP(R) certification after he failed to respond to a complaint CFP Board filed against him in November 2025. The complaint asserts that Mr. Ren violated CFP Board's Code and Standards and its Rules of Conduct, citing a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) he entered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA), in which he consented to a 30-day suspension and $5,000 fine for failing to preserve required business communications and misrepresenting his actions to his firm in violation of FINRA rules. CFP Board's complaint also alleges that Mr. Ren made misleading statements to CFP Board enforcement counsel and failed to timely report to CFP Board his employment termination and a separate regulatory action against him by Maryland securities regulators. Because Mr. Ren did not file an answer to CFP Board's complaint, he was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Ren's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion seeking an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Ren from CFP(R) certification, which counsel to the Commission granted on June 18, 2026. The order was effective July 18, 2026. Read the Commission's order: Case History 43759.
Kentucky
Brent E. Ditto (Elizabethtown, Kentucky): In May 2026, counsel to CFP Board's Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order permanently barring Mr. Ditto from CFP(R) certification after he failed to respond to a complaint filed against him by CFP Board in October 2025. The complaint alleges that, in August 2025, Mr. Ditto entered into an Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA), agreeing to a four-month suspension, a $5,000 fine, and disgorgement of $402.58 plus interest. The AWC states that Mr. Ditto violated Regulation Best Interest under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and FINRA Rule 2010 when he recommended an unsuitable mortgage-backed bond to a 95-year-old client needing available funds for assisted living expenses. The client incurred approximately $19,000 in losses. CFP Board's complaint asserts that Mr. Ditto violated Standard A.8.a of its Code and Standards, requiring a CFP(R) professional to comply with the laws, rules, and regulations governing professional services, and breached his fiduciary duty under Standard A.1, which requires a CFP(R) professional to act in the best interests of the client at all times when providing financial advice. Because Mr. Ditto did not file an answer to CFP Board's complaint, he was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Ditto's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion for an administrative order revoking his CFP(R) certification, which counsel for the Commission granted on May 5, 2026. Mr. Ditto was permanently barred from CFP(R) certification effective June 4, 2026. Read the order: Case History 45790.
New Jersey
Eric B. Kleiner (Tenafly, New Jersey): In May 2026, counsel to CFP Board's Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order permanently barring Mr. Kleiner from CFP(R) certification after he stated that he would no longer participate in CFP Board's investigation into a series of customer arbitrations filed against him and his March 2025 termination from his firm. According to the order, Mr. Kleiner's clients asserted claims alleging that he had recommended investments that were unauthorized by his firm and outside of the clients' investment strategies. By choosing not to participate further in CFP Board's investigation, Mr. Kleiner was in default under its Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Kleiner's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion for an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Kleiner from CFP(R) certification, which counsel to the Commission granted on May 28, 2026. The order was effective June 29, 2026. Read the order: Case History 48239.
* * *
Public Notice
Texas
Edgardo Rey (Austin, Texas): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order granting Mr. Rey's petition for a determination that he is fit for CFP(R) certification with a public notice after he disclosed in his application that he filed for bankruptcy in February 2019. Mr. Rey and CFP Board enforcement counsel filed his petition as a joint motion stating that Mr. Rey had provided information sufficient for enforcement counsel to find no probable cause to believe Mr. Rey's current financial circumstances demonstrate an inability to manage his financial affairs responsibly. Read the Commission's order: Case History 48405.
* * *
About CFP Board
CFP Board is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board consists of two affiliated organizations focused on advancing the financial planning profession for the public's benefit. CFP Board of Standards sets and upholds standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(R) certification -- widely recognized by the public, advisors and firms as the standard for financial planners -- so that the public has access to the benefits of competent and ethical financial planning. CFP(R) certification is held by more than 109,000 people in the U.S. CFP Board Center for Financial Planning addresses diversity and workforce development challenges and conducts and publishes research that adds to the financial planning profession's body of knowledge.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cfp.net/news/2026/07/cfp-board-promotes-public-trust-with-14-actions
[Category: Financial Services]
* * *
CFP Board Promotes Public Trust With 14 Actions
Upholding Ethical Standards in a Thriving Network of Over 109,000 CFP(R) Professionals
-
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board), a nonprofit organization with more than 109,000 CFP(R) professionals, today announced actions taken to uphold its ethical standards, imposing sanctions on fourteen individuals.
CFP Board is a professional body that has adopted a Code of Ethics and Standards of ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 25 -- The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards issued the following news release on July 24, 2026: * * * CFP Board Promotes Public Trust With 14 Actions Upholding Ethical Standards in a Thriving Network of Over 109,000 CFP(R) Professionals - Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board), a nonprofit organization with more than 109,000 CFP(R) professionals, today announced actions taken to uphold its ethical standards, imposing sanctions on fourteen individuals. CFP Board is a professional body that has adopted a Code of Ethics and Standards ofConduct (Code and Standards) that benefits and protects the public and advances financial planning as a distinct and valuable profession. The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(R) certification is the standard for financial planning. The Code and Standards requires that a CFP(R) professional meet certain duties when providing professional services to a client, and refrain from engaging in other misconduct that reflects adversely on their integrity or fitness as a certificant, on the CFP Board certification marks or on the profession. CFP(R) professionals make a commitment to CFP Board to abide by the Code and Standards, and their compliance reinforces the integrity of the CFP Board certification marks. CFP Board does not guarantee a CFP(R) professional's services, but it may sanction a CFP(R) professional who fails to uphold their commitment.
CFP Board's Fitness Standards for Candidates for CFP(R) Certification and Former CFP(R) Professionals Seeking Reinstatement ("Fitness Standards") sets the standards against which CFP Board evaluates the ethical fitness of those seeking CFP(R) certification. In some circumstances, CFP Board may determine an applicant is currently fit for CFP(R) certification and issue a public notice of their prior misconduct.
Information about how CFP Board addresses ethical issues involving CFP(R) professionals and those pursuing CFP(R) certification is available at CFP.net/enforcement.
At CFP.net/verify, the public can verify an individual's CFP(R) certification status. CFP Board also provides links to other sources of information about CFP(R) professionals that may be more recent or that may contain information that has not led to CFP Board discipline and does not appear on CFP Board's website, such as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (FINRA's) BrokerCheck and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC's) Investment Adviser Public Disclosure databases for individuals who are subject to FINRA or SEC oversight. CFP Board is not a federal, state or self-regulatory organization, and it does not sanction financial services firms.
The Public Sanctions on 14 Individuals
* * *
NAME ... LOCATION ... SANCTION
Stuart E. Wells ... Grand Junction, Colorado ... Suspension
Robert F. Sieja ... Wilmette, Illinois ... Suspension
Jason Kirsch ... Portland, Oregon ... Suspension
Ted A. Beer ... Scottsdale, Arizona ... Temporary Bar
Marcia L. Riner ... Las Vegas, Nevada ... Temporary Bar
James Migliore ... Belmar, New Jersey ... Temporary Bar
Devon DeVon Freeman ... Louisville, Kentucky ... Revocation
Christopher J. Asher ... Davidsonville, Maryland ... Revocation
Cynthia M. Bremer ... Gloucester, Massachusetts ... Revocation
David William Weigel ... New York, New York ... Revocation
Yonglin Ren ... Lincolnshire, Illinois ... Permanent Bar
Brent E. Ditto ... Elizabethtown, Kentucky ... Permanent Bar
Eric B. Kleiner ... Tenafly, New Jersey ... Permanent Bar
Edgardo Rey ... Austin, Texas ... Public Notice
* * *
Suspension
Colorado
Stuart E. Wells (Grand Junction, Colorado): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission issued an order imposing an automatic interim suspension of Mr. Wells's CFP(R) certification and right to use the CFP Board certification marks citing contempt orders entered against Mr. Wells by two Kansas state courts where he was named as a defendant. In March 2025, a court in Geary County entered a civil contempt order against Mr. Wells based, in part, on false testimony he provided about his role in preparing a client's letter to her bank. The court found that Mr. Wells's testimony denying any involvement in preparing the letter was not truthful, and that it contradicted the client who testified that Mr. Wells had in fact prepared the letter, had her sign it, and mailed it to the bank. In June 2025, a Saline County court also held Mr. Wells in contempt, finding that he had submitted "fake" legal citations. The June 2026 order suspending Mr. Wells's CFP(R) certification explains that because both civil contempt orders contain findings that Mr. Wells engaged in a misrepresentation or other dishonest conduct, each provides grounds for his interim suspension under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Mr. Wells's suspension, effective on June 12, 2026, will remain in place pending further disciplinary proceedings. Read the order: Case History 45677.
Illinois
Robert F. Sieja (Wilmette, Illinois): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order suspending Mr. Sieja's CFP(R) certification and right to use the CFP Board certification marks after he failed to respond to CFP Board's requests for information about an outstanding federal tax lien imposed on his property. Because Mr. Sieja failed to respond to CFP Board's investigation, he was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Sieja's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion seeking an administrative order of suspension, which counsel to the Commission granted on June 18, 2026. The order was effective July 18, 2026. Read the order: Case History 48669.
Oregon
Jason Kirsch (Portland, Oregon): In December 2025, CFP Board's Appeals Commission affirmed an April 2025 order from the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) suspending Mr. Kirsch's CFP(R)certification and right to use the CFP Board certification marks for a year and a day based on Mr. Kirsch's June 2024 Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. In a complaint filed against Mr. Kirsch in July 2024, CFP Board alleged that his bankruptcy filing violated Standard E.2.c of CFP Board's Code and Standards, which prohibits a CFP(R) professional from engaging in conduct that reflects adversely on their integrity or fitness as a CFP(R) professional, on the CFP(R) marks or on the profession. Mr. Kirsch, who disclosed his bankruptcy filing to CFP Board the same month it was filed, denied that the filing demonstrated an inability to manage his financial affairs responsibly, pointing to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors he says were outside of his control. The Commission disagreed, citing Mr. Kirsch's accumulation of debt starting years earlier and his investments in speculative ventures despite having inadequate savings or cash flow. Mr. Kirsch's suspension is effective from December 8, 2025, through December 8, 2026. Read the Commission's order: Case History 46810.
Temporary Bar
Arizona
Ted A. Beer (Scottsdale, Arizona): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order temporarily barring Mr. Beer from CFP(R) certification for failing to respond to CFP Board's requests for information about Mr. Beer's separation from his firm. The order cites Mr. Beer's alleged violation of firm policies and procedures concerning two clients seeking assignment to a different advisor. Because Mr. Beer did not respond to CFP Board's investigation, he was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Beer's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion seeking an administrative order barring Mr. Beer from applying for CFP(R) certification until he is deemed eligible under Article 4.6 of the Procedural Rules. Counsel to the Commission granted the motion on June 18, 2026. The order was effective on July 18, 2026. Read the order: Case History 48676.
Nevada
Marcia L. Riner (Las Vegas, Nevada): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order temporarily barring Ms. Riner from CFP(R) certification after Ms. Riner indicated that she would not participate in an investigation by CFP Board into her November 2024 Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. By declining to participate in the investigation, Ms. Riner was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Ms. Riner's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion seeking an administrative order barring her from applying for CFP(R) certification until she is deemed eligible under Article 4.6 of the Procedural Rules. Counsel to the Commission granted the motion on June 18, 2026. The order was effective on July 18, 2026. Read the order: Case History 48513.
New Jersey
James Migliore (Belmar, New Jersey): In June 2026, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order denying Mr. Migliore's petition for a determination that he is fit for CFP(R) certification and barring him from applying for certification for one year. Mr. Migliore was required to petition the Commission after disclosing two misdemeanor DUI convictions (2004 and 2014) and a 2010 bankruptcy filing. The Commission found that although the bankruptcy occurred many years ago, Mr. Migliore needed more time to demonstrate that he can manage his financial affairs responsibly. Mr. Migliore's temporary bar is effective from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2027. Read the Commission's order: Case History 47979.
Revocation
Kentucky
Devon DeVon Freeman (Louisville, Kentucky): In March 2026, CFP Board's Appeals Commission affirmed a November 2025 administrative order issued by counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) permanently revoking Mr. Freeman's CFP(R) certification after he failed to answer a complaint alleging violations of CFP Board's Code and Standards. The complaint, filed February 24, 2025, cites a January 2025 Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (AWC) Mr. Freeman entered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) in which he consented to a $10,000 fine and 8-month suspension for forging client signatures on variable insurance applications and other documents, and backdating one application. The AWC states that Mr. Freeman also used his personal cell phone to improperly exchange text messages with customers about securities business. Mr. Freeman was permitted to resign from his firm in February 2023, and the Kentucky Department of Insurance issued an order of revocation against Mr. Freeman in June 2023 after he failed to respond to its inquiries. Because Mr. Freeman failed to file an answer to the complaint against him, he was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Freeman's conduct, enforcement counsel filed a motion seeking an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Freeman's CFP(R) certification, which counsel to the Commission granted on November 11, 2025. The order was effective on March 23, 2026. Read the order: Case History 47660.
Maryland
Christopher J. Asher (Davidsonville, Maryland): In May 2026, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order finding Mr. Asher ineligible for the reinstatement of his CFP(R) certification following his suspension in August 2022 for conduct resulting in felony criminal charges against him. The order revokes Mr. Asher's right to use the CFP(R) certification marks and permanently bars him from obtaining CFP(R) certification. In determining that Mr. Asher had not proven his fitness for reinstatement, the Commission pointed to Mr. Asher's May 2024 bankruptcy filing as demonstrating his inability to manage his financial affairs. The Commission's order also cites CFP Board's Fitness Standards, which do not permit the certification of any applicant who has engaged in the type of conduct that resulted in Mr. Asher's felony criminal conviction. Mr. Asher's revocation and permanent bar were effective June 1, 2026. Read the Commission's order: Case History 48188.
Massachusetts
Cynthia M. Bremer (Gloucester, Massachusetts): In June 2026, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order revoking Ms. Bremer's CFP(R) certification for placing more than $6 million in unauthorized trades over a period of 15 months. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) issued Ms. Bremer a Cautionary Action Letter in March 2023 stating that she had violated FINRA Rules by executing 162 transactions in 59 clients' non-discretionary accounts without obtaining prior authorization. Ms. Bremer settled an arbitration complaint filed by one former client alleging a $40,000 loss from an unauthorized transaction Ms. Bremer placed. Ms. Bremer told CFP Board that she began placing trades to sell her clients' mutual fund shares in early 2020 to protect them from volatility in the securities markets brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. By the time Ms. Bremer re-established positions for her clients, the order states, mutual fund prices had already recovered following government action. The Commission found that by engaging in unauthorized trading, Ms. Bremer breached her fiduciary duty as a CFP(R) professional to act in the best interests of her clients when providing financial advice, in violation of Standard A.1 of CFP Board's Code and Standards. By failing to communicate with her clients until long after trades were made, the order states, Ms. Bremer also failed to provide professional services in a timely and thorough manner, as required by Standard A.4. The Commission also found that Ms. Bremer's violation of FINRA Rules violated CFP Board rules requiring that a CFP(R) professional comply with the laws, rules and regulations governing professional services. Ms. Bremer's revocation was effective July 2, 2026. Read the Commission's order: Case History 43947.
New York
David William Weigel (New York, New York): In May 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an administrative order revoking Mr. Weigel's CFP(R) certification after he failed to file an answer to CFP Board's complaint against him as required under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. The complaint alleges several violations of CFP Board's Code and Standards, according to the order, including violations arising out of Mr. Weigel's 2023 bankruptcy filing and his pattern of unprofessional, abusive and profane social media activity. In some of his online posts, the order states, Mr. Weigel sought to bolster his credibility by citing his CFP(R) certification. Because Mr. Weigel failed to file an answer in compliance with CFP Board's Procedural Rules and as directed by counsel to the Commission, he was in default under Articles 4.1.e and 4.1.h. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. Weigel's conduct, enforcement counsel filed a motion for an administrative order revoking his CFP(R) certification, which counsel for the Commission granted on May 21, 2026. The order was effective June 20, 2026. Read the Commission's order: Case History 46644.
Permanent Bar
Illinois
Yonglin Ren (Lincolnshire, Illinois): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Ren from obtaining CFP(R) certification after he failed to respond to a complaint CFP Board filed against him in November 2025. The complaint asserts that Mr. Ren violated CFP Board's Code and Standards and its Rules of Conduct, citing a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) he entered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA), in which he consented to a 30-day suspension and $5,000 fine for failing to preserve required business communications and misrepresenting his actions to his firm in violation of FINRA rules. CFP Board's complaint also alleges that Mr. Ren made misleading statements to CFP Board enforcement counsel and failed to timely report to CFP Board his employment termination and a separate regulatory action against him by Maryland securities regulators. Because Mr. Ren did not file an answer to CFP Board's complaint, he was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Ren's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion seeking an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Ren from CFP(R) certification, which counsel to the Commission granted on June 18, 2026. The order was effective July 18, 2026. Read the Commission's order: Case History 43759.
Kentucky
Brent E. Ditto (Elizabethtown, Kentucky): In May 2026, counsel to CFP Board's Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order permanently barring Mr. Ditto from CFP(R) certification after he failed to respond to a complaint filed against him by CFP Board in October 2025. The complaint alleges that, in August 2025, Mr. Ditto entered into an Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA), agreeing to a four-month suspension, a $5,000 fine, and disgorgement of $402.58 plus interest. The AWC states that Mr. Ditto violated Regulation Best Interest under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and FINRA Rule 2010 when he recommended an unsuitable mortgage-backed bond to a 95-year-old client needing available funds for assisted living expenses. The client incurred approximately $19,000 in losses. CFP Board's complaint asserts that Mr. Ditto violated Standard A.8.a of its Code and Standards, requiring a CFP(R) professional to comply with the laws, rules, and regulations governing professional services, and breached his fiduciary duty under Standard A.1, which requires a CFP(R) professional to act in the best interests of the client at all times when providing financial advice. Because Mr. Ditto did not file an answer to CFP Board's complaint, he was in default under CFP Board's Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Ditto's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion for an administrative order revoking his CFP(R) certification, which counsel for the Commission granted on May 5, 2026. Mr. Ditto was permanently barred from CFP(R) certification effective June 4, 2026. Read the order: Case History 45790.
New Jersey
Eric B. Kleiner (Tenafly, New Jersey): In May 2026, counsel to CFP Board's Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order permanently barring Mr. Kleiner from CFP(R) certification after he stated that he would no longer participate in CFP Board's investigation into a series of customer arbitrations filed against him and his March 2025 termination from his firm. According to the order, Mr. Kleiner's clients asserted claims alleging that he had recommended investments that were unauthorized by his firm and outside of the clients' investment strategies. By choosing not to participate further in CFP Board's investigation, Mr. Kleiner was in default under its Procedural Rules. Based on its determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Kleiner's conduct, CFP Board enforcement counsel filed a motion for an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Kleiner from CFP(R) certification, which counsel to the Commission granted on May 28, 2026. The order was effective June 29, 2026. Read the order: Case History 48239.
* * *
Public Notice
Texas
Edgardo Rey (Austin, Texas): In June 2026, counsel to the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order granting Mr. Rey's petition for a determination that he is fit for CFP(R) certification with a public notice after he disclosed in his application that he filed for bankruptcy in February 2019. Mr. Rey and CFP Board enforcement counsel filed his petition as a joint motion stating that Mr. Rey had provided information sufficient for enforcement counsel to find no probable cause to believe Mr. Rey's current financial circumstances demonstrate an inability to manage his financial affairs responsibly. Read the Commission's order: Case History 48405.
* * *
About CFP Board
CFP Board is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board consists of two affiliated organizations focused on advancing the financial planning profession for the public's benefit. CFP Board of Standards sets and upholds standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(R) certification -- widely recognized by the public, advisors and firms as the standard for financial planners -- so that the public has access to the benefits of competent and ethical financial planning. CFP(R) certification is held by more than 109,000 people in the U.S. CFP Board Center for Financial Planning addresses diversity and workforce development challenges and conducts and publishes research that adds to the financial planning profession's body of knowledge.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cfp.net/news/2026/07/cfp-board-promotes-public-trust-with-14-actions
[Category: Financial Services]
CAIR Condemns Israeli Settler Massacre of 4 Palestinians in West Bank
WASHINGTON, July 25 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on July 24, 2026:
* * *
CAIR Condemns Israeli Settler Massacre of 4 Palestinians in West Bank
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned a deadly attack by armed Israeli settlers and military forces in the West Bank village of Tell that left four Palestinians dead and several others critically injured.
According to local reports and the head of the village council, about 20 Israeli settlers entered the village ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 25 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on July 24, 2026: * * * CAIR Condemns Israeli Settler Massacre of 4 Palestinians in West Bank The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned a deadly attack by armed Israeli settlers and military forces in the West Bank village of Tell that left four Palestinians dead and several others critically injured. According to local reports and the head of the village council, about 20 Israeli settlers entered the villageof Tell, near Nablus, with the intention of killing, vandalizing, and setting property on fire. When villagers came out to defend their homes and property, Israeli soldiers present at the scene began opening fire together with the settlers. The four Palestinians killed by Israeli forces were all from the same family.
SEE: Four Palestinians and one Israeli killed during West Bank settler attack (https://www.theguardian.com/international)
In a statement, CAIR said:
"We strongly condemn this heinous massacre carried out by Israeli settlers in coordination with occupation forces against Palestinian villagers in Tell. We call on all members of Congress to condemn this horrific attack and the explicit threats from Israeli officials calling to erase entire communities. The United States must stop enabling these atrocities."
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-condemns-israeli-settler-massacre-of-4-palestinians-in-west-bank/
[Category: Sociological]
* * *
CAIR Condemns Israeli Settler Massacre of 4 Palestinians in West Bank
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned a deadly attack by armed Israeli settlers and military forces in the West Bank village of Tell that left four Palestinians dead and several others critically injured.
According to local reports and the head of the village council, about 20 Israeli settlers entered the village ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 25 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on July 24, 2026: * * * CAIR Condemns Israeli Settler Massacre of 4 Palestinians in West Bank The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned a deadly attack by armed Israeli settlers and military forces in the West Bank village of Tell that left four Palestinians dead and several others critically injured. According to local reports and the head of the village council, about 20 Israeli settlers entered the villageof Tell, near Nablus, with the intention of killing, vandalizing, and setting property on fire. When villagers came out to defend their homes and property, Israeli soldiers present at the scene began opening fire together with the settlers. The four Palestinians killed by Israeli forces were all from the same family.
SEE: Four Palestinians and one Israeli killed during West Bank settler attack (https://www.theguardian.com/international)
In a statement, CAIR said:
"We strongly condemn this heinous massacre carried out by Israeli settlers in coordination with occupation forces against Palestinian villagers in Tell. We call on all members of Congress to condemn this horrific attack and the explicit threats from Israeli officials calling to erase entire communities. The United States must stop enabling these atrocities."
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-condemns-israeli-settler-massacre-of-4-palestinians-in-west-bank/
[Category: Sociological]
Americans for Tax Reform: EU Hits Google With a $1 Billion Fine
WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on July 23, 2026, by Jack Sepulvado:
* * *
EU Hits Google with a $1 Billion Fine
In the latest episode of its digital tax craze, the EU forces Google to pay Euros890 million ($1 billion) under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). By targeting one of the world's largest tech companies, Europe sends a message innovation is not welcome.
On July 23, the EU announced that Google had violated the DMA by giving preferential treatment to its own services. This meant that Google advertised its own services more frequently. Instead ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on July 23, 2026, by Jack Sepulvado: * * * EU Hits Google with a $1 Billion Fine In the latest episode of its digital tax craze, the EU forces Google to pay Euros890 million ($1 billion) under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). By targeting one of the world's largest tech companies, Europe sends a message innovation is not welcome. On July 23, the EU announced that Google had violated the DMA by giving preferential treatment to its own services. This meant that Google advertised its own services more frequently. Insteadof Google's fast, well-integrated hotels, flights, shopping, services, users will now be prompted utilize third-party products. Ironically, this results in higher prices for users. For example, when Google cannot display travel plans through Google Flights--directly linked to airline websites--users must navigate intermediaries that impose an extra fee on top of the flight ticket.
The EU also found that Google had violated "anti-steering" measures by not sufficiently informing users of alternative app stores on Google Play. To comply with the DMA, Google will have to devote significantly more content on its own app store to lower-quality alternatives with slower services. A similar rule limiting Google's use of AI on Google Play lowers protections for consumers from malicious online activity.
The DMA limits large tech companies' ability to innovate by allowing competitor products and services to operate with their devices. Since taking effect in 2023, this has taken a toll on Europe's access to new technology. For example, Apple withheld the launch of Apple Intelligence in Europe over fears of the DMA's interoperability requirements. While the rest of the world enjoyed cutting-edge tech, Europe was stuck with second-rate services.
The DMA is detrimental to Europe's economic growth. The Computer and Communications Industry Association estimated that the Act would deprive the economy of Euros114 billion every year as a result of degraded personalization features and higher transaction costs.
The DMA is one part of Europe's targeting of digital commerce. The other is the onslaught of digital services taxes (DST) that also fall disproportionately on U.S. companies, costing them nearly $3 billion per annum. By using high revenue threshold, these taxes only apply to American tech firms, such as Meta, Apple, and Microsoft. The Tholos Foundation confirmed that the vast majority of DST-paying firms in Spain and Tukey were American and that U.S. firms generated over 90% of the UK's DST revenue.
These exorbitant costs are unlikely to remain with the targeted companies, though. Firms pass the burden onto consumers through higher marketplace fees, advertising charges, and app store commissions. In practice, this makes DSTs a hidden tax on digital activity and the consumers who rely on it, not just on corporate revenue.
As the saying goes, "American innovates, China imitates, and Europe regulates." As long as EU lawmakers are focused on denying their people access to new technology, Europe's economy will continue to plateau. The Trump Administration must act now to put an end to European looting of successful American companies.
* * *
Original text here: https://atr.org/eu-hits-google-with-a-1-billion-fine/
[Category: Political]
* * *
EU Hits Google with a $1 Billion Fine
In the latest episode of its digital tax craze, the EU forces Google to pay Euros890 million ($1 billion) under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). By targeting one of the world's largest tech companies, Europe sends a message innovation is not welcome.
On July 23, the EU announced that Google had violated the DMA by giving preferential treatment to its own services. This meant that Google advertised its own services more frequently. Instead ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on July 23, 2026, by Jack Sepulvado: * * * EU Hits Google with a $1 Billion Fine In the latest episode of its digital tax craze, the EU forces Google to pay Euros890 million ($1 billion) under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). By targeting one of the world's largest tech companies, Europe sends a message innovation is not welcome. On July 23, the EU announced that Google had violated the DMA by giving preferential treatment to its own services. This meant that Google advertised its own services more frequently. Insteadof Google's fast, well-integrated hotels, flights, shopping, services, users will now be prompted utilize third-party products. Ironically, this results in higher prices for users. For example, when Google cannot display travel plans through Google Flights--directly linked to airline websites--users must navigate intermediaries that impose an extra fee on top of the flight ticket.
The EU also found that Google had violated "anti-steering" measures by not sufficiently informing users of alternative app stores on Google Play. To comply with the DMA, Google will have to devote significantly more content on its own app store to lower-quality alternatives with slower services. A similar rule limiting Google's use of AI on Google Play lowers protections for consumers from malicious online activity.
The DMA limits large tech companies' ability to innovate by allowing competitor products and services to operate with their devices. Since taking effect in 2023, this has taken a toll on Europe's access to new technology. For example, Apple withheld the launch of Apple Intelligence in Europe over fears of the DMA's interoperability requirements. While the rest of the world enjoyed cutting-edge tech, Europe was stuck with second-rate services.
The DMA is detrimental to Europe's economic growth. The Computer and Communications Industry Association estimated that the Act would deprive the economy of Euros114 billion every year as a result of degraded personalization features and higher transaction costs.
The DMA is one part of Europe's targeting of digital commerce. The other is the onslaught of digital services taxes (DST) that also fall disproportionately on U.S. companies, costing them nearly $3 billion per annum. By using high revenue threshold, these taxes only apply to American tech firms, such as Meta, Apple, and Microsoft. The Tholos Foundation confirmed that the vast majority of DST-paying firms in Spain and Tukey were American and that U.S. firms generated over 90% of the UK's DST revenue.
These exorbitant costs are unlikely to remain with the targeted companies, though. Firms pass the burden onto consumers through higher marketplace fees, advertising charges, and app store commissions. In practice, this makes DSTs a hidden tax on digital activity and the consumers who rely on it, not just on corporate revenue.
As the saying goes, "American innovates, China imitates, and Europe regulates." As long as EU lawmakers are focused on denying their people access to new technology, Europe's economy will continue to plateau. The Trump Administration must act now to put an end to European looting of successful American companies.
* * *
Original text here: https://atr.org/eu-hits-google-with-a-1-billion-fine/
[Category: Political]