EDITORIAL:

Can We Protect The Country From Another Donald Trump?

EDITORIAL:

Can We Protect The Country From Another Donald Trump?

Make no mistake about it, the Trump administration “created an ethics crisis. Our lawmakers must advocate for firm rules to ensure these egregious ethical abuses never happen again.” Robert Weissman, Public Citizen president.

How The F**k Do We Fix This?

Fascinated

Like many other Americans, I’m fascinated with the January 6th Committee hearings. Jumpin’ Jehosafats! What the f*ck? A president of the United States actually tried to overthrow the government with a coup? You mean those folks at the Capitol on 1/06/2021 weren’t just tourists? ‘Fake electors’; did what? Trump grabbed a Secret Service employee by the throat, when the man refused to take him to the Capitol to participate in the riot. Holy Moly. When was the last time you heard a U.S. president support  hanging his Vice President? It’s one bombshell after another, and sadly, there’s more dirt coming.

Until Trump

We as a country have been around since 1776, and in all that time each losing presidential candidate accepted the  loss and stepped aside. That is until Donald John Trump. As an average citizen, with a bachelor’s degree in social and political science, I thought we had laws that would protect us from his ilk. I prayed, but I also sincerely believed, the conflict of interest laws, and ethics regulations, plus long accepted norms governing interactions between the White House and other Executive Branch departments would constrain the orange megalomaniac. Boy, was I wrong, Trump pushed all ethical boundaries to the breaking point.

Constant Assault on Institutions

Even I, the ever grousing cynic, did not realize that size of the holes in the system, When a man, in the most important office in the world is intent on subverting federal ethics laws, as well as ethical norms, both in full view, and behind the scenes; as it stands now, there is little to stop him. A couple years ago Public Citizen News Vol 38, NO.6 November/December 2018 offered some suggestions on policy reforms to guarantee that no future president is allowed to wallow in his own corruption. The article concluded that because of Trump, we have learned how to strengthen the system against future rogue presidents. I’m dubious to say the least. Due to the breadth of his assets, his refusal to divest himself of those assets and his disregard for multiple conflicts of interest norms he shook our government to the core, leaving many of us crying democracy itself is at stake.

Public Citizen Advice

1.) Ethics Abuse: Refusing to Divest Assets. During his time in office, Trump maintained ownership of his worldwide businesses. He was, and remains, a national security risk. His businesses made him vulnerable to the influence of foreign powers and corporate interests. Remember Trump leaving the Kurds high and dry in Northern Syria? All that happened because Erdogan threatened the Trump brand in Turkey. Trump spent a third of his days while in office at a Trump property; all the while garnering free publicity for the Trump brand. His Washington, D.C hotel and bar became magnets for foreign officials coming to DC. It seemed the White House doors were open for anybody with a scheme or a scam.

Can It Be Fixed? The Public Citizen suggested that within 30 days of the presidential inauguration, the president and the vice president should be required to divest all assets that pose a risk of conflict of interest. Well, how do they plan on enforcing that? We watched Trump for four years defy every order he got, from any source. If the matter was sent to the Senate as impeachable there is likely to be nothing done. We watched Trump be impeached twice and he skipped away. I say all candidates must place their assets in a trust, revocable only if they lose the election, or fail to win. Certainly, not after the election, because once in office how do we expel them if they refuse to comply?

2.) Ethics Abuse: Refusing to Release Tax Returns. Unlike all other candidates going back to Nixon, Trump refused to release his tax returns. That action, deprived voters of essential information about his financial ties that might effect his decisions as a president. Often the financial entanglements of candidates are deep, but that makes it even more important for the public to have that information.

Can It Be Fixed? Every candidate should be legally required to disclose his/her most recent 5 years of tax returns within 30 days of becoming a candidate. In addition, financial disclosure forms should specify and include information on assets, income, transactions, and liabilities, as well as details including creditors, investors, and customers, of the public officials’ businesses.

3.) Ethics Abuse: Inauguration Influence-Peddling. Trump’s 2016 inaugural committee raised a whopping $107 million from donors, twice as much as raised by Barack Obama’s inaugural committees. Despite pressure from press and congress the Trump committee refused to divulge where the money went, although later tax filings from the group revealed over $26 million went to a party planner who was an advisor to Melania Trump. That insider dealing looked bad, when it came out, but not surprising.

Can It Be Fixed? There should be a cap of $5,000-the federal contribution limit for an election cycle. Further, while in office, presidents should be prevented from collecting money for libraries or other ‘legacy building endeavors’; or at the very least make those contributions subject to the same rules as candidates running for federal office. Also, the Public Citizen recommended rules and disclosure requirements for legal defense funds set up by executive branch officials.

4.) Ethics Abuse: Hiring Family Members One of Donald Trump’s first actions was to give his daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared, jobs in the West Wing despite a federal anti-nepotism statute that makes it illegal to appoint close relatives to official positions. Trump disregarded the statute claiming he had the authority to fill White House positions, “without oversight.”

Can It Be Fixed? There is already a statute disallowing this behavior, so the statute should be clarified making it clear that it supersedes other laws related to White House employment.

Conclusion

I have a lot of respect for Public Citizen, and I think their ideas have merit, but they are just a starting point. My biggest problem with these recommendations is that there is no bite to the law. It is important to make the candidate comply before they have the power of the office and no means to enforce rules, regulations. Where’s the $25,000 a day fine? Or, the immediate removal from office (no impeachment trial)? How did Trump get away with so much, for so long? One of the reasons is that there has been no immediate consequences for any of his outrageous behavior.