Stacked Committees

Stacked committees occur when leaders deliberately appoint only loyal or aligned members to committees, task forces, or working groups. By shaping the composition, they predetermine outcomes before deliberation even begins.

Why It Matters

• Gives the illusion of due process while decisions are biased from the start.

• Prevents dissenting or minority voices from influencing outcomes.

• Concentrates control in the hands of those making the appointments.

Tell-Tale Signs

• Committees consistently reflect one viewpoint.

• Qualified members are excluded without explanation.

• Reports from committees mirror leadership positions without variation.

Examples Across Levels

• Local: A board president appoints only allies to a committee he or she heads.

• State: Legislative leadership fills oversight committees with majority-party loyalists.

• Federal: Select committees chosen to reinforce partisan priorities.

Countermeasures

• Require proportional or random selection for committees.

• Publish committee appointment criteria.

• Allow minority caucuses or groups to select their own representatives.

Related Patterns

• Gatekeeping Committees 

• Agenda Manipulation