Tag: Trump corruption

Confronting the Cost of Trump’s Corruption to American Families

The following article by Sam Berger, Liz Kennedy and Diana Pilipenko was posted on the Center for American Progress website June 4, 2018:

A worker handles automobile parts at a plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan, on August 26, 2016. Credit: Getty, Bill Pugliano

OVERVIEW

President Trump is helping himself and his politically connected friends at the expense of everyone else.

Introduction and summary

One of the few constants throughout the Donald J. Trump administration has been corruption. Since his first day as president, when Trump took the wholly unprecedented step of refusing to divest1 from his private businesses, his administration has been characterized by an unending effort by him, his family, and his senior advisers to abuse their political power for personal gain. Continue reading “Confronting the Cost of Trump’s Corruption to American Families”

EPA’s Pruitt spent $1,560 on 12 customized fountain pens from Washington jewelry store

The following article by Brady Dennis and Juliet Eilperin was posted on the Washington Post website June 1, 2018:

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt faces rising scrutiny over several ethics issues, including his use of taxpayer money. (Video: Bastien Inzaurralde/Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

The account manager at the Tiny Jewel Box, which calls itself Washington’s “premier destination for fine jewelry and watches,” had promised to expedite the order of a dozen customized silver fountain pens — each emblazoned with the seal of the Environmental Protection Agency and the signature of its leader, Scott Pruitt.

Now all that the EPA staff member working with the store needed was for a top Pruitt aide to sign off on the $3,230 order, which also included personalized journals. Continue reading “EPA’s Pruitt spent $1,560 on 12 customized fountain pens from Washington jewelry store”

Corporations that have donated to Trump’s racist PAC get ridiculous returns on their investments

The following article by Rebekah Entralgo was posted on the ThinkProgress website June 1, 2018:

CVS and Southern Co. among them.

Pres. Trump gestures during a roundtable discussion on the advancement of women business leaders Credit: Kevin Dietsch, Pool via Bloomberg

Campaign finance watchdog MapLight published a report Thursday that exposed three major corporations for their contributions to America First Policies — a pro-Trump “dark money” PAC established last year by Trump officials that has been criticized for its use of a racist, xenophobic, and sexist phrase.

America First Policies received $1 million from gas and electric utility corporation Southern Co., $100,000 from Dow Chemical, and $500,000 from pharmaceutical retail chain CVS Health. According to disclosure forms, all three have reported lobbying on the Republican tax bill passed in December that dramatically cut the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent. Continue reading “Corporations that have donated to Trump’s racist PAC get ridiculous returns on their investments”

Invitations offer wealthy Chinese access to President Trump at fundraiser

The following article by Michelle Ye Hee Lee, ANu Narayanswamy, Emily Rauhala and Simon Denyer was posted on the Washington Post website May 25, 2018:

President Trump Credit: Czarek Sokolowski/AP

The letter, circulated to dozens of wealthy entrepreneurs in China last week, looked official. Topped with the insignia of a real Republican committee raising money for the party and President Trump’s reelection campaign, it purported to offer a handshake and a one-on-one photo with the president for $100,000 — a “VVIP” trip “to be remembered for a lifetime.”

The invitation, which Republican Party officials say they had nothing to do with, was not the only such offer. At least two other China-based companies circulated similar solicitations in the past week, offering access to Trump at an official fundraiser in Dallas on May 31, and charging two or three times the price of a ticket. Continue reading “Invitations offer wealthy Chinese access to President Trump at fundraiser”

Corruption, Not Russia, Is Trump’s Greatest Political Liability

The following article by Jonathan Chait was posted on the New York Magazine website April 1, 2018:

Credit: Tony Millionaire/New York Magazine

“My whole life I’ve been greedy, greedy, greedy,” declared Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign. “I’ve grabbed all the money I could get. I’m so greedy. But now I want to be greedy for the United States.” To the extent that Trump’s candidacy offered any positive appeal, as opposed to simple loathing for his opponent, this was it. He was a brilliant businessman, or at least starred in a television show as one, and he would set aside his lifelong pursuit of wealth to selflessly serve the greater good. This was the promise that pried just enough Obama voters away from Hillary Clinton in just enough upper-Midwest states to clinch the Electoral College. Continue reading “Corruption, Not Russia, Is Trump’s Greatest Political Liability”

Donald Trump Jr. comes to India to hawk apartments, and quickly edges into politics

The following article by Shashank Bengali was posted on the Los Angeles Times website February 20, 2018:

President Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. meets Feb. 20 with his company’s Indian partners in New Delhi. Credit: Manish Swarup, Associated Press

Landing in New Delhi on Tuesday to begin what was billed as an unofficial tour to promote his family’s real estate interests in India, Donald Trump Jr. wasted little time before veering into international politics.

Some of Trump Jr.’s first statements in India could be seen as crossing the line into geopolitics, showing how difficult it is to focus solely on business when you’re the son of the U.S. president and you haven’t been exactly shy about defending his political views, statements and policies while running his business empire. Continue reading “Donald Trump Jr. comes to India to hawk apartments, and quickly edges into politics”

Trump Jr: ‘Nonsense’ that family’s profiting from presidency

The following article by Muneeza Maqvi was posted on the Associated Press website February 22, 2018:

NEW DELHI (AP) — Donald Trump Jr. said any talk of his family profiting from his father’s presidency is “nonsense” during a trip to India that has raised ethical concerns about using the name of the American president to promote international business ventures.

The eldest son of President Donald Trump said his family is actually missing out on business opportunities because his father pledged to conduct no new foreign business while he was in office. Trump Jr. told Indian television channel CNBC-TV18 on Tuesday that when critics talk about them “profiteering from the presidency and all this nonsense” they forget about “the opportunity cost of the deals that we were not able to do.” Continue reading “Trump Jr: ‘Nonsense’ that family’s profiting from presidency”