We, the undersigned citizens, call upon the United States House of Representatives to immediately resume meaningful oversight and investigate serious concerns involving federal contractors and the handling of civil rights litigation in federal courts.

This petition arises from ongoing concerns connected to the federal case:

Nelson v. Curtiss-Wright Electro-Mechanical Corporation
Case No. 2:25-cv-00405-RMG-MGB
United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Charleston Division. 

The case is currently presided over by:

• District Judge Richard Mark Gergel
• Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker

Defense counsel representing Curtiss-Wright is the law firm Jackson Lewis P.C., including attorneys involved in the litigation.

The concerns prompting this petition involve serious questions regarding the conduct of federally funded defense contractors and the treatment of civil rights claims brought against them.

These concerns include:

• Allegations of discrimination and retaliation involving a federal defense contractor receiving taxpayer-funded government contracts.

• Concerns about discovery practices, witness intimidation, and litigation tactics that appear designed to discourage or deter legal accountability.

• Concerns regarding attempts to obtain broad access to highly sensitive medical and psychotherapy records, raising serious privacy concerns and appearing disproportionate to the claims involved in the litigation.

• Allegations of retaliation that include cyber intrusions and interference with personal electronic systems, including email accounts (Microsoft & Google), phones (iPhone & Motorola), computers, printers, and vehicle systems (American Honda).

• Incidents involving vandalism and suspicious activity at the plaintiff’s residence, raising concerns about personal safety.

• Interference with the ability to earn income, including the permanent deactivation of an Uber driver account based on unverified allegations, resulting in lost wages.

• Financial disruption involving the removal or seizure of funds from a personal account at Navy Federal Credit Union.

• Concerns regarding invasive discovery practices, including the production or use of personal photographs of family members, including grandchildren, in documents unrelated to the claims in the case.

• Requests for extensive personal financial information, including tax returns and records related to a separate LLC that existed before employment with Curtiss-Wright and is unrelated to the lawsuit.

These issues raise concerns about whether discovery practices in civil rights litigation can intrude upon personal privacy or place undue pressure on individuals pursuing claims against large corporate defendants.

Taken together, these circumstances raise serious concerns regarding potential retaliation against an individual pursuing civil rights claims against a federal defense contractor.

Federal contractors operate using taxpayer-funded contracts and public trust. When serious allegations of retaliation, intimidation, discrimination, or misuse of litigation tactics arise, Congress has a responsibility to ensure that oversight mechanisms function properly and that federally funded entities are held accountable to the law.

Oversight committees exist to investigate matters where federal funding, public accountability, and civil rights protections intersect. When oversight is paused or inactive, serious allegations involving federally funded entities can go unexamined.

We therefore call upon Congress to:

1. Resume active oversight hearings involving federal contractors receiving taxpayer funding. 
2. Investigate allegations of retaliation and discrimination involving federal defense contractors. 
3. Ensure that civil rights complaints involving federally funded contractors receive proper scrutiny and accountability. 
4. Examine the use of litigation tactics that may pressure plaintiffs to disclose sensitive personal medical records. 
5. Protect individuals who report misconduct or pursue legal claims from retaliation, intimidation, or interference with their livelihood.

Congressional oversight is a cornerstone of democratic accountability.

Taxpayer-funded contractors must operate within the law and respect the civil rights protections guaranteed to every American citizen.