Cahill on the Hill: Top Investigation Developments September 2026
October 27, 2026
Cahill’s Congressional Investigations practice has published the second installment of Cahill on the Hill, a monthly series examining key developments in congressional investigative activity. Partners Edward O’Callaghan, James Mandolfo, and Sean Tonolli highlight where congressional oversight is focused, the industries and individuals drawing scrutiny, and the practical considerations for those engaging with congressional investigators.
The September 2026 edition covers:
1. AI companies are under scrutiny from both parties: Senator Hawley opened an investigation into OpenAI after reports that its AI agents hacked Hugging Face and accessed its private source code. Democratic Members then asked OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta to list every instance of their models gaining, or trying to gain, unauthorized access to systems.
2. Big Tech's data center practices are being questioned: Ranking Member Raskin is looking into whether Amazon, Google, Meta and Oracle used NDAs to keep communities from learning how data centers could affect utility bills, the environment and health. He requested copies of the agreements.
3. Oversight of prediction markets is growing: The House Oversight Committee’s inquiry into possible insider trading on prediction markets is widening to more platforms. Earlier requests have already produced documents and briefings.
4. Democrats are building cases on business ties to the Trump Administration: Senate Democrats asked Freedom 250 to disclose its corporate donors. House Intelligence Committee Democrats warned the National Defense Industrial Association that they may seek information on White House Ballroom donations and Intelligence Community contracts. This could be a preview of the investigations Democrats could pursue if they win control of either chamber after the midterms.
5. The cryptocurrency industry faces ongoing pressure: Senator Warren asked Treasury and the DOJ to investigate the Trump-linked firm World Liberty Financial over a reported $100 million payment from a businessman under investigation for money laundering. Separately, Democrats on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released a report probing Iran's shadow banking network and cryptocurrency firms’ possible connections.
6. Algorithmic pricing remains a target in many industries: Chairman Comer asked the FTC for a briefing on its proposed policy statement on "surveillance pricing." This continues an inquiry into algorithmic pricing practices, an issue that has drawn bipartisan scrutiny across industries, including airlines, grocers, retailers, and pharmacies.
Read the full alert below.
Cahill on the Hill: Top Investigation Developments September 2026
