What Now?! PRESSURE Just like keeping pressure on a wound: Keeping the Pressure on Watchdogs, Checks and Balances, Local Governments and Respected Institutions to scrutinize the many unethical Trump-Trocities is Paramount. There are countless conflicts of interest within this new administration. Considering Quid Pro Quo (New Latin for "something for something" basically you scratch my back I'll scratch yours...) and how the new president and his cabinet is obviously using their political stature for their own personal gain, it seems there's no way in hell any of this is even legal. Well, a lot of it isn't. Acknowledgement and enforcement will be the issue. And many enforcement positions have been filled with corporate interest holders, appointed by the president... According to Office of Government Ethics: 2635.702 Use of public office for private gain is ILLEGAL "An employee shall not use his public office for his own private gain, for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise, or for the private gain of friends, relatives, or persons with whom the employee is affiliated in a nongovernmental capacity, including nonprofit organizations of which the employee is an officer or member, and persons with whom the employee has or seeks employment or business rela- tions." As in, when Kellyanne Conway told us all to go buy Ivanka Trump's stuff... http://fashionista.com/2017/02/kellyanne-conway-nordstrom-illegal *Meanwhile Joe Biden's daughter launched Livelihood, a sweatshirt line MADE IN AMERICA that will make charitable contributions to under served areas. Very much deserving of attention and affection, operating ethically, from a political family of high moral standing. http://www.teenvogue.com/story/ashley-biden-partners-with-gilt-on-livelihood-clothing-line Corrective action should have been ordered when disciplinary action was recommended by the Director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Walter M. Shaub. But, The White House refused to take disciplinary action. And despite their claim that "..many regulations promulgated by the Office of Government Ethics do not apply to employees of the Executive Office of the President.", that "assertion is incorrect, and the letter cites no legal basis for it." - according to Walter M. Shaub The Director of the Office of Government Ethics. Unfortunately, The Office of Government Ethics does not have the authority to enforce penalties or investigate potential rule violations. The federal ethics offices can recommend disciplinary action but it is nonbinding. The office also does not have the power to appeal a decision if an employee's federal office chooses not to take action over a potential violation. Director of the Office of Government Ethics set the stage January 11th before Inauguration Day in a public statement concerning Trump's conflicts of interest and "ethics". In which he stated: "We can’t risk creating the perception that government leaders would use their official positions for profit." In this early statement Walter M. Shaub continues to denounce the president's original "Blind Trust" business disentanglement plan, which is a complete falsity. "This isn’t the way the Presidency has worked since Congress passed the Ethics in Government Act in 1978 in the immediate aftermath of the Watergate scandal. Since then, Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama all either established blind trusts or limited their investments to non-conflicting assets like diversified mutual funds, which are exempt under the conflict of interest law." Walter M. Shaub has been the Director of the Office of Government Ethics for four years, has come up through the ranks as a career government ethics official, has worked closely with countless officials in administrations of both major parties and practices and believes that "Ethics has no party. " Read his full pre inauguration statement: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3280298/Remarks-of-Office-of-Government-Ethics-Director.pdf The Trump name and their many businesses are getting a whole lot of press with this corporate mogul now in the highest seat of the nation. I can't help but think this is all one really bad reality show. Personally, I'm sick of watching this giant commercial for Trump Everything. Is any of this even legal? If he were an appointee of any other President there would have been disciplinary action. "Each visit Trump makes to one of his hotels or golf courses serves as an invaluable product placement opportunity for a business whose bottom line, in the end, benefits the president and his family... Most businesses not run by the president's family clamor for a presidential visit and have been known to boast about them for years in an effort to spur residual business. In fact, some business, primarily those in Washington, have been known to lobby the White House for a presidential visit." -CNN "As a candidate, he filed financial disclosures as required by federal law, including assets of more than $1.4 billion and debt of at least $265 million. He has separately boasted that his net worth is $10 billion But unlike all recent major party presidential candidates, he did not make public his tax returns, shielding from view the full scope of his business entanglements. It’s also uncertain whether Trump will file a new disclosure of his wealth within the first year... as previous presidents have done, or wait until required by law, in is May 2018." -PBS Wether or not a president can be charged legally with conflict of interest, emolument, or ethics violations is unclear. It does look like the fight must be political rather than legal, since this is the highest seat in the nation, and we've just all witnessed him stack the deck and will continue watching him pull wild cards. It appears facts have little merit, and the "interpretation" of laws and the founding documents of our nation will be left up to the appointees' discretion. Breaking precedent is not breaking a law... We just need to keep the pressure on this gushing wound. Political Vs. Legal means Impeachment Vs. Lawsuits/Disciplinary Actions Since Trump is the president, he holds an enormous amount of power and many arguments against him can be seen as threats to our entire country. But, has Trump used his office to abuse it's power? Has he committed treason, been involved with bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors? According to Article 2, Section 4 of the United States Constitution: "The President, Vice President, and all civil Officers of the United States shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors." The definition of "High Crimes and Misdemeanors" is not black and white. Nixon/Watergate famed journalist journalist Theodore H. White defined an impeachable abuse of power as an act that would destroy public faith in the belief that the president stands for law. I feel like I'm the public, and that I do not believe this president stands for our law... He has encouraged sexual assault on women, defamed President Obama, called our military weak, openly lied about public affairs, encouraged public disrespect for freedom of the press, incited racism and xenophobia, compromised the integrity of elections through encouraging computer hacking and through his contact with Russian officials, and refused to divest from his business ventures and continues to promote and use government money to entertain at his many business interests. City Councils in Richmond and Alameda California have passed resolutions to ask Congress to investigate grounds for impeachment. Let's keep our message strong and ask any governmental body to make any statement reflecting your concerns about the Trump presidency made public. Passing resolutions may not make anything happen,mouth it sends a clear message that is heard around the world. And the whole world is watching. Contact your local officials and the Office of Government Ethics and keep the pressure on. Key Contact the United States of America's Office of Government Ethics Main Phone Number: (202) 482-9300 TTY: (800) 877-8339 By Mail U.S. Office of Government Ethics 1201 New York Avenue, N.W., Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 By Email: [email protected] Emails will be forwarded to the responsible OGE component for appropriate handling. Before sending email, please read our Privacy Policy for details about how we handle personal information. Also, because email on the Internet is not secure, you should not send confidential or sensitive information. For a directory of OGE leadership, call 202-482-9292 ContactOGE Public Inquiries (202) 482-9300 Finlayson, Shelley K. Chief of Staff (Legislative Affairs Liaison) (202) 482-9314 Veilleux, Diana J. Alternate Legislative Affairs Liaison (202) 482-9203 Nelson Cabrera, Jr. Assistant Director for Internal Operations (202) 482-9233 Salamone, Vincent J. Press Liaison (202) 482-9274 Jaffe, Seth Alternate Press Liaison (202) 482-9303 Francis, Leigh Backup Press Liaison (202) 482-9313 Newton, Elaine Backup Press Liaison (202) 482-9265
