CEOs Turn to Lawyer Michael Bopp Amid Urgent Congressional Scrutiny

UPDATE: As congressional investigations intensify, CEOs are increasingly relying on attorney Michael Bopp to prepare for high-stakes hearings. With the Trump administration’s focus on public media, universities, and major corporations, Bopp’s expertise is in high demand among leaders facing scrutiny on Capitol Hill.

Just this past summer, Bopp, a lawyer at Gibson Dunn, spent hours coaching Joseph Selsavage, the interim CEO of 23andMe, to handle aggressive questioning about the company’s management of sensitive genetic information from around 15 million customers. Bopp’s preparation is crucial as lawmakers ramp up investigations into organizations that appear at odds with the current administration.

“This administration is really driving a lot of the investigations on the Hill,” Bopp revealed in a recent interview with Bloomberg News. He noted that committee chairs are aligning their focuses with the Trump agenda, creating a challenging environment for many organizations.

In another recent case, Bopp advised an Ivy League university currently under investigation by the House Judiciary Committee. His swift actions previously helped another university avoid being summoned to testify before the House Education Committee. The stakes are high; out of the seven university presidents who testified earlier this year, only two remain in their positions.

Bopp’s most notable recent engagement was assisting Katherine Maher, CEO of NPR, during her testimony in March. Facing accusations from Republicans who claim NPR holds a bias against conservative viewpoints, Maher turned to Bopp for guidance. He recommended she address past social media comments upfront to set a positive tone for the hearing.

“It wasn’t that Katherine was going to retreat from her prior politics, but what was important was to set the tone early,” Bopp stated. Following his advice, Maher expressed regret for some statements but defended NPR’s commitment to unbiased reporting. “It really took one of the most challenging issues, if not the most challenging issue, off the table for the remainder of the hearing,” Bopp explained.

The outcome? Maher left the congressional hearing with minimal fallout, a significant achievement in a politically charged environment. She described her experience as a “sense of relief,” crediting Bopp’s thorough preparation for her successful navigation of the hearing.

In a troubling turn for public media, Congress passed party-line legislation in July to rescind $9 billion in funding, threatening layoffs and station closures nationwide. Despite the setbacks, Bopp aims to mitigate damage, continuing to represent NPR in ongoing litigation against the administration. “The funding restrictions were preordained unfortunately,” he remarked, “but I think Katherine had an impact. There were a number of Republicans who had second thoughts about the rescission package.”

Bopp’s work exemplifies the urgency and complexity facing CEOs today. His mock hearing room in downtown Washington, DC, equipped with a dais and microphones, is where he preps clients for the intense atmosphere of congressional hearings. He meticulously prepares answers and conducts multiple mock sessions, though he acknowledges that nothing can fully replicate the pressure of the real thing.

As investigations and hearings ramp up, Bopp remains a pivotal figure in guiding CEOs through the treacherous waters of congressional scrutiny. With the political landscape shifting rapidly, the demand for his expertise will likely continue to surge. CEOs facing the looming threat of Capitol Hill inquiries must navigate this challenging terrain carefully, and many are turning to Bopp as their trusted advisor. This is a developing story that underscores the urgent intersection of politics and corporate governance in today’s world.