New York Post·2025-12-29 14:46Group 1 - The Trump administration is intensifying its scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in hiring and promotion at companies like Google and Verizon, launching investigations under the False Claims Act [1][4] - The investigations are part of a broader initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to use the False Claims Act as a civil rights enforcement tool, expanding its traditional focus on financial fraud [3][10] - Companies that certify compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws while maintaining DEI programs deemed discriminatory could face accusations of submitting "false claims" for government payment [3][10] Group 2 - Google and Verizon have received demands from the DOJ for documents related to their workplace diversity programs, with other companies across various industries also potentially under investigation [4][16] - The DOJ's approach, known as implied certification, argues that compliance with civil rights laws is essential for receiving federal funds, targeting companies with federal contracts that continue DEI policies [10][11] - Legal experts suggest that the DOJ's strategy may face challenges in court, as proving material misrepresentation in securing federal contracts could be difficult [13]