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"The Trump administration is inviting bribes in order to pay for staffers' legal defense of other crimes," writes Norm Eisen of Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington. (Photo: Defending Our Future/Twitter)
In a reversal critics described as a "big ethical leap backwards" and an invitation to bribery, the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has "quietly" overturned internal policy prohibiting White House staffers with legal defense funds from receiving anonymous gifts from lobbyists.
"The Trump administration is inviting bribes in order to pay for staffers' legal defense of other crimes."
--Norm Eisen, CREWPolitico first reported the Trump administration's about-face on Wednesday, which comes just weeks after the resignation of former OGE head Walter Shaub, who said the policy reversal--which was carried out through a few subtle changes to a 1993 policy document--"disgusts" him.
"It's very depressing," Shaub told Politico in an interview. "It's unseemly for the ethics office to be doing something sneaky like that."
"I was hoping it was a technical website glitch," Shaub added on Twitter. "But the acting [OGE] director [David Apol] doesn't feel you deserve any answer, America."
While the changes are superficially minor, they may have deep and far-reaching implications. The "little-noticed" policy move "could help President Donald Trump's aides raise the money they need to pay attorneys as the Russia probe expands," Politico's Darren Samuelsohn observed.
Norm Eisen, the chair of Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington, argued the change is clear-cut evidence that the "Trump administration is inviting bribes in order to pay for staffers' legal defense of other crimes."
"What could be swampier?"
--David Axelrod, CNN
Echoing Eisen, former OGE acting director Marilyn Glynn told Politico: "You can picture a whole army of people with business before the government willing to step in here and make [the debt] go away."
As Common Dreams has reported, Apol--the current OGE director--has been criticized for his "loosey-goosey" ethics views, and has in the past "fought to roll back restrictions."
Given Apol's record--and the Trump White House's continued disregard for even the most basic standards of transparency--commentators were not surprised by the reported policy reversal. Many did, however, take the opportunity to continue ridiculing Trump's campaign promise to "drain the swamp."
\u201cLobbyists now can make anonymous donations to the legal defense funds of WH officials? What could be swampier? https://t.co/nkkq9bPoxN\u201d— David Axelrod (@David Axelrod) 1505354345
\u201cSwamp gets murkier by the day https://t.co/aeD9ZwrTm0\u201d— West Wing Reports (by Paul Brandus) (@West Wing Reports (by Paul Brandus)) 1505388352
\u201cTrump on the campaign trail vs. the Trump administration now. https://t.co/HHZ7qx3XxK\u201d— Adam Smith (@Adam Smith) 1505353556
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
In a reversal critics described as a "big ethical leap backwards" and an invitation to bribery, the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has "quietly" overturned internal policy prohibiting White House staffers with legal defense funds from receiving anonymous gifts from lobbyists.
"The Trump administration is inviting bribes in order to pay for staffers' legal defense of other crimes."
--Norm Eisen, CREWPolitico first reported the Trump administration's about-face on Wednesday, which comes just weeks after the resignation of former OGE head Walter Shaub, who said the policy reversal--which was carried out through a few subtle changes to a 1993 policy document--"disgusts" him.
"It's very depressing," Shaub told Politico in an interview. "It's unseemly for the ethics office to be doing something sneaky like that."
"I was hoping it was a technical website glitch," Shaub added on Twitter. "But the acting [OGE] director [David Apol] doesn't feel you deserve any answer, America."
While the changes are superficially minor, they may have deep and far-reaching implications. The "little-noticed" policy move "could help President Donald Trump's aides raise the money they need to pay attorneys as the Russia probe expands," Politico's Darren Samuelsohn observed.
Norm Eisen, the chair of Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington, argued the change is clear-cut evidence that the "Trump administration is inviting bribes in order to pay for staffers' legal defense of other crimes."
"What could be swampier?"
--David Axelrod, CNN
Echoing Eisen, former OGE acting director Marilyn Glynn told Politico: "You can picture a whole army of people with business before the government willing to step in here and make [the debt] go away."
As Common Dreams has reported, Apol--the current OGE director--has been criticized for his "loosey-goosey" ethics views, and has in the past "fought to roll back restrictions."
Given Apol's record--and the Trump White House's continued disregard for even the most basic standards of transparency--commentators were not surprised by the reported policy reversal. Many did, however, take the opportunity to continue ridiculing Trump's campaign promise to "drain the swamp."
\u201cLobbyists now can make anonymous donations to the legal defense funds of WH officials? What could be swampier? https://t.co/nkkq9bPoxN\u201d— David Axelrod (@David Axelrod) 1505354345
\u201cSwamp gets murkier by the day https://t.co/aeD9ZwrTm0\u201d— West Wing Reports (by Paul Brandus) (@West Wing Reports (by Paul Brandus)) 1505388352
\u201cTrump on the campaign trail vs. the Trump administration now. https://t.co/HHZ7qx3XxK\u201d— Adam Smith (@Adam Smith) 1505353556
In a reversal critics described as a "big ethical leap backwards" and an invitation to bribery, the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has "quietly" overturned internal policy prohibiting White House staffers with legal defense funds from receiving anonymous gifts from lobbyists.
"The Trump administration is inviting bribes in order to pay for staffers' legal defense of other crimes."
--Norm Eisen, CREWPolitico first reported the Trump administration's about-face on Wednesday, which comes just weeks after the resignation of former OGE head Walter Shaub, who said the policy reversal--which was carried out through a few subtle changes to a 1993 policy document--"disgusts" him.
"It's very depressing," Shaub told Politico in an interview. "It's unseemly for the ethics office to be doing something sneaky like that."
"I was hoping it was a technical website glitch," Shaub added on Twitter. "But the acting [OGE] director [David Apol] doesn't feel you deserve any answer, America."
While the changes are superficially minor, they may have deep and far-reaching implications. The "little-noticed" policy move "could help President Donald Trump's aides raise the money they need to pay attorneys as the Russia probe expands," Politico's Darren Samuelsohn observed.
Norm Eisen, the chair of Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington, argued the change is clear-cut evidence that the "Trump administration is inviting bribes in order to pay for staffers' legal defense of other crimes."
"What could be swampier?"
--David Axelrod, CNN
Echoing Eisen, former OGE acting director Marilyn Glynn told Politico: "You can picture a whole army of people with business before the government willing to step in here and make [the debt] go away."
As Common Dreams has reported, Apol--the current OGE director--has been criticized for his "loosey-goosey" ethics views, and has in the past "fought to roll back restrictions."
Given Apol's record--and the Trump White House's continued disregard for even the most basic standards of transparency--commentators were not surprised by the reported policy reversal. Many did, however, take the opportunity to continue ridiculing Trump's campaign promise to "drain the swamp."
\u201cLobbyists now can make anonymous donations to the legal defense funds of WH officials? What could be swampier? https://t.co/nkkq9bPoxN\u201d— David Axelrod (@David Axelrod) 1505354345
\u201cSwamp gets murkier by the day https://t.co/aeD9ZwrTm0\u201d— West Wing Reports (by Paul Brandus) (@West Wing Reports (by Paul Brandus)) 1505388352
\u201cTrump on the campaign trail vs. the Trump administration now. https://t.co/HHZ7qx3XxK\u201d— Adam Smith (@Adam Smith) 1505353556