On Wednesday, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) filed an amicus brief ([link removed]) at the Supreme Court supporting an emergency application for relief in litigation over Mississippi’s House Bill 1126. The law imposes onerous age verification rules on millions of Mississippian social media users and requires social media companies to devise strategies for keeping “harmful” content away from minors.
Granting emergency relief is critical to protecting free speech in Mississippi. We hope that our brief furthers this goal and sends a strong message to other states that restrictions on anonymity rights will not be tolerated. Social media platforms allow millions of consumers the opportunity to make their voices heard without fear of wrath or reprisal. A fundamental tenet of free speech is anonymity, a long-cherished right indispensable to the American project. The bill’s backers claim that age verification technologies can be used safely without sacrificing user privacy or anonymity. The events of the past week prove this is clearly not the case. Millions of vulnerable Tea app customers thought their identities were safe, but that illusion was shattered by a devastating breach. H.B. 1126 and similar laws will make the digital domain a less safe place — the opposite of Mississippi’s stated aims. We hope the Supreme Court defends the First Amendment by granting Mississippi social media
customers much-needed relief. TPA will continue to fight for a safer and freer internet.”

Profile in Courage: Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pennsylvania)

In an era when politics often rewards bombast over substance, Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Penn.) has charted a different course, defined by integrity, competence, and a deep-seated belief in public service. From the private sector to the halls of Congress, Meuser has consistently led with compassion and fought for the rights of consumers and taxpayers. For his tireless efforts to bring accountability to unchecked agencies and give voice to the disabled community, Rep. Dan Meuser is a true Profile in Courage. Before he ever ran for office, Meuser made his mark as a business leader at Pride Mobility Products, a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of power wheelchairs and scooters. Meuser entered business with his brother Scott and father Stan, and they worked together to skyrocket annual revenues from $2 million to an astounding $400 million. The company they built and its more than 1,000 employees continue to provide affordable products to consumers who need them the most, and the company has even
expanded to serve a wider customer base. During Meuser’s tenure at Pride Mobility, he was also able to invest $40 million annually into other Pennsylvania companies, resulting in more jobs and economic opportunities across the state.

Following his successful business career, Meuser sought to serve the public by entering state government. He was appointed Secretary of Revenue under Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett (R) and faced the unenviable task of modernizing an outdated tax collection system while safeguarding taxpayers’ rights. He rose to the challenge by streamlining operations, increasing efficiency, and expanding taxpayer services. His achievements did not go unnoticed. At the start of his tenure, Pennsylvania’s revenue department was graded a “D” by the Council on State Taxation. By the time he was done, the department boasted an “A-”. Not surprisingly, answering taxpayers’ calls, allowing accommodations for technical issues, and boosting e-filings are popular (and effective) ways of running a revenue department. Since being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, Rep. Meuser has continued to fight for an efficient and accountable government. For example, the Congressman has grown increasingly
alarmed at the power grabs and lack of accountability at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Meuser said it best in a June hearing: “The CFPB was created to be a nonpartisan watchdog—an agency tasked with protecting American consumers from deceptive, unfair, and abusive financial practices. But under Director Chopra, that mission was abandoned. The CFPB ceased to be a pro-consumer agency and instead became a ideological weapon—used not to protect the public, but to pressure businesses into aligning with the CFPB’s goals through aggressive rules, enforcement, and supervision.” Rep. Meuser has been particularly critical of “tools” such as costly Civil Investigative Demands foisted on companies and mandatory rulemaking masquerading as “guidance.” His bill, H.R. 4460 (the Stop Agency Fiat Enforcement of Guidance Act), would require agencies to include a clear disclaimer on the first page of any guidance document that states guidance does not carry force of law.
Rep. Meuser has also voiced concern at an increasingly aggressive Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which denied critical services to digital asset firms under the Biden administration. He’s called for greater regulatory clarity and flexibility from the agency, which should keep its role limited to providing deposit insurance, not punishing politically unpopular individuals or companies.

Dan Meuser has never sought the spotlight. But in the shadows of a sprawling federal bureaucracy, he has taken tough stands for taxpayers, consumers, and vulnerable populations. And, even when President Trump promised him an endorsement if he ran for Pennsylvania governor, Rep. Meuser declined because he stated that his “focus needs to remain on doing my job, serving my constituents, and executing the plans to strengthen our country.”
For his principled leadership in both the public and private sectors, refusal to accept business-as-usual in Washington, and enduring commitment to transparent and accountable governance, Congressman Dan Meuser is a Profile in Courage.

Summer Reading: Artificial Intelligence

August is the perfect time for lawmakers to trade the sweltering heat of Capitol Hill for a cool, air-conditioned café, laptop in tow, diving into the latest policy debates while sipping iced coffee. But even as members of Congress escape to their home districts, one topic refuses to take a vacation: artificial intelligence (AI). Like an overzealous beach umbrella that keeps popping up no matter how many times you try to fold it down, proposals to regulate AI continue to dominate headlines, policy discussions, and regulatory agendas with relentless persistence. Following the release of the White House’s AI Action Plan, the buzz around the emerging technology will continue to increase. The technology is all-but-certain to take hold in various sectors of the economy, and ensuing discussions over the potential impact of AI cover an array of topics ranging from privacy to intellectual property. The August recess is the perfect time to grab a caffeinated beverage, devour as much on AI as
possible, and buckle up for AI policy discussions that will surely arise in the next year.

The potential “disruption” posed by AI in the economy has sparked concerns for various industries worried about the impact on jobs and their business models. A key question has been the use of copyrighted materials for the training of AI models. However, if AI is to deliver on its promise, the companies offering AI products must be able to deploy the physical infrastructure required to power it. From permitting to obtaining the power to turn the lights on at data centers, powering AI has presented many challenges,. In this report, Institute for Progress’ Arnab Datta and Tim Fist expose the constant roadblocks companies are facing in building up infrastructure and getting the energy needed to power their operations:

However, the US faces significant barriers to securing this consistent energy supply due to limitations in how fast new transmission lines and power generation can be deployed. Existing power grids are not equipped to handle the sudden surge in demand from AI data centers, causing bottlenecks in power delivery. For example, developers in Oregon recently found that converting a shuttered tile factory into a data center would require an extensive "line and load study" by the local power company. They had previously assumed power would not be a problem for their plans, but decided to build their own power source "off the grid" to avoid the delay.

AI companies have also seen zoning laws and taxes weaponized against their data centers, as exposed in this op-ed by TPA’s Juan Londoño. From ever-rising property taxes to the outright prohibition of data centers in zoning laws, lawmakers have been pulling various levers to push data centers out of these localities. The excitement around AI will likely translate to an avalanche of policy developments in the months to come. This summer break is a perfect opportunity to prepare for the pivotal policy discussions to come. As the technology continues to mature and its use becomes more widespread, the potential for regulation will unfortunately increase as well. TPA has played an active role in filing comments to agencies, educating policymakers, and informing the public about the importance of getting AI right for the past several years, and will do so for years to come. The cost of overregulating one of the most important technologies in recent times is simply too high for taxpayers and
consumers.


BLOGS:

Monday: TPA Talks Fiscal Reform: David McGarry and Kurt Couchman on Restoring Fiscal Democracy ([link removed]) and RFK Stadium Deal Doesn’t Add Up for D.C. Taxpayers ([link removed])

Tuesday: Federal Bill of the Month – July 2025: H.R. 4366 – Save Local Business Act ([link removed]) and State Bill of the Month – July 2025: Ohio H.B. 298 ([link removed])

Wednesday: Watchdog Group Files Amicus Brief Defending Mississippian Social Media Users ([link removed])

Thursday: Profile in Courage: Rep. Dan Meuser ([link removed])

Friday: Summer Reading: Artificial Intelligence ([link removed])

MEDIA:

July 24, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) interviewed me for their news segment on the Baltimore County IG selection process.

July 24, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) mentioned TPA in their story, “Mosbys working together for CA-based nonprofit. What's the plan for group in MD?”

July 24, 2025: I appeared ion 55WKRC (Cincinnati, Ohio) to talk about the Postal Service.

July 25, 2025: WCBM (Baltimore, Md.) mentioned TPA in their news segment on the Baltimore County IG selection process.

July 25, 2025: bondbuyer.com mentioned TPA in their story, “The complex legal questions underpinning muni market rulemaking.”

July 28, 2025: The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Fla.) ran TPA’s op-ed, “Taxpayers deserve more Medicaid cuts in the OBBBA.”

July 28, 2025: The Blaze ran TPA’s op-ed, “AI faces death by a thousand state regulations.”

July 29, 2025: DC Journal (Washington, D.C.) ran TPA’s op-ed, “Conspiracy Theories Get in the Way of Patient Cures.”

July 29, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) mentioned TPA in their story, “Klausmeier's IG pick 'is unraveling' amid controversy and transparency concerns.”

July 29, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) mentioned TPA in their story, “Outcry over Baltimore County's inspector general shake-up: 'political meddling must stop.'”

July 30, 2025: The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Md.) mention TPA in their story, “Baltimore County residents rally in support of Kelly Madigan.”

July 30, 2025: Hanford Sentinel (Hanford, Calif.) ran TPA’s op-ed, “Conspiracy Theories Get in the Way of Patient Cures.”

July 30, 2025: Issues & Insights ran TPA’s op-ed, “Lawsuits By Local Governments Threaten Taxpayers and Consumers.”

July 30, 2025: WCBM (Baltimore, Md.) mentioned TPA in their news segment on the Baltimore County IG selection process.

July 30, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) quoted TPA in their story, “Baltimore Register of Wills under fire for spending $200K on un-aired TV show, audit finds”

July 30, 2025: Santa Maria Times (Santa Maria, Ca.) ran TPA’s op-ed, “Conspiracy Theories Get in the Way of Patient Cures.”

July 30, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) quoted TPA in their story, “Baltimore IG nominee criticized for 220-mile commute, seen as 'potential waste.'”

July 31, 2025: RealClearMarkets ran TPA's op-ed, “Asking Supreme Court to Reject a 'Show Your Papers' Internet”

July 31, 2025: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) interviewed me about the Maryland’s fiscal outlook.”

July 31, 2025: I appeared on WBOB 600 AM (Jacksonville, Fla.) to talk about tariffs and the economy.

Have a great weekend!

David Williams
President
Taxpayers Protection Alliance
1101 14^th Street, NW
Suite 500
Washington, D.C.
Office: (202) 930-1716
Mobile: (202) 258-6527
www.protectingtaxpayers.org

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