To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
"The Trump Administration's violations have culminated in an unmatched disregard for government integrity and personal ethics, and are the latest manifestation of the unremitting insult to the American public's right to knowledge, national security, and our democratic system," says a December report from CREW. (Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington on Wednesday urged President-elect Joe Biden "to reverse course from the Trump administration's transparency abuses" and laid out five specific actions to effect such change.
"President Trump has claimed that he's the most transparent president in history," the government watchdog group wrote in a Twitter thread Wednesday. "His administration's secrecy about who visits the White House, abuse of security classifications, and record-keeping failures prove that's a lie."
CREW cites as examples Trump's son-in-law and White House advisor Jared Kushner's communications via WhatsApp--in violation of the Presidential Records Act--with foreign leaders including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), as well as White House secrecy over who visited the president at Mar-a-Lago, his south Florida estate.
"Don't you wish you knew who visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago? And who had the president's ear?" asked CREW
\u201c2. Ban the use of apps that automatically delete messages for government work. Remember Jared Kushner\u2019s WhatsApp messages with Mark Zuckerberg and MBS?\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
\u201cMike Pompeo\u2019s \u201cMadison Dinners\u201d cost taxpayers more than $40k \nhttps://t.co/cEf9Hqj63m\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
\u201cTrump lied about his reasons for attempting to host the G7 at his club\nhttps://t.co/DMRAUeIoYA\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
\u201c5. Congress should require the White House to disclose information about official visits to the White House, Camp David, and other places frequented by the president. \n\nDon\u2019t you wish you knew who visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago? And who had the president\u2019s ear?\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
"No matter who is president, transparency is what allows the American people to keep tabs on their government. It could not be more important to reverse course from the Trump administration's transparency abuses," the group wrote.
The tweeted recommendations follow a recent CREW report entitled What Democracy Looks Like. Released this month, the publication included a section on how to restore executive transparency and delved more deeply into the steps touched upon in the Wednesday Twitter thread. Solutions the report called for included:
"The Trump administration's violations have culminated in an unmatched disregard for government integrity and personal ethics, and are the latest manifestation of the unremitting insult to the American public's right to knowledge, national security, and our democratic system," the report states. "Reform is needed now more than ever."
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington on Wednesday urged President-elect Joe Biden "to reverse course from the Trump administration's transparency abuses" and laid out five specific actions to effect such change.
"President Trump has claimed that he's the most transparent president in history," the government watchdog group wrote in a Twitter thread Wednesday. "His administration's secrecy about who visits the White House, abuse of security classifications, and record-keeping failures prove that's a lie."
CREW cites as examples Trump's son-in-law and White House advisor Jared Kushner's communications via WhatsApp--in violation of the Presidential Records Act--with foreign leaders including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), as well as White House secrecy over who visited the president at Mar-a-Lago, his south Florida estate.
"Don't you wish you knew who visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago? And who had the president's ear?" asked CREW
\u201c2. Ban the use of apps that automatically delete messages for government work. Remember Jared Kushner\u2019s WhatsApp messages with Mark Zuckerberg and MBS?\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
\u201cMike Pompeo\u2019s \u201cMadison Dinners\u201d cost taxpayers more than $40k \nhttps://t.co/cEf9Hqj63m\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
\u201cTrump lied about his reasons for attempting to host the G7 at his club\nhttps://t.co/DMRAUeIoYA\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
\u201c5. Congress should require the White House to disclose information about official visits to the White House, Camp David, and other places frequented by the president. \n\nDon\u2019t you wish you knew who visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago? And who had the president\u2019s ear?\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
"No matter who is president, transparency is what allows the American people to keep tabs on their government. It could not be more important to reverse course from the Trump administration's transparency abuses," the group wrote.
The tweeted recommendations follow a recent CREW report entitled What Democracy Looks Like. Released this month, the publication included a section on how to restore executive transparency and delved more deeply into the steps touched upon in the Wednesday Twitter thread. Solutions the report called for included:
"The Trump administration's violations have culminated in an unmatched disregard for government integrity and personal ethics, and are the latest manifestation of the unremitting insult to the American public's right to knowledge, national security, and our democratic system," the report states. "Reform is needed now more than ever."
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington on Wednesday urged President-elect Joe Biden "to reverse course from the Trump administration's transparency abuses" and laid out five specific actions to effect such change.
"President Trump has claimed that he's the most transparent president in history," the government watchdog group wrote in a Twitter thread Wednesday. "His administration's secrecy about who visits the White House, abuse of security classifications, and record-keeping failures prove that's a lie."
CREW cites as examples Trump's son-in-law and White House advisor Jared Kushner's communications via WhatsApp--in violation of the Presidential Records Act--with foreign leaders including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), as well as White House secrecy over who visited the president at Mar-a-Lago, his south Florida estate.
"Don't you wish you knew who visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago? And who had the president's ear?" asked CREW
\u201c2. Ban the use of apps that automatically delete messages for government work. Remember Jared Kushner\u2019s WhatsApp messages with Mark Zuckerberg and MBS?\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
\u201cMike Pompeo\u2019s \u201cMadison Dinners\u201d cost taxpayers more than $40k \nhttps://t.co/cEf9Hqj63m\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
\u201cTrump lied about his reasons for attempting to host the G7 at his club\nhttps://t.co/DMRAUeIoYA\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
\u201c5. Congress should require the White House to disclose information about official visits to the White House, Camp David, and other places frequented by the president. \n\nDon\u2019t you wish you knew who visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago? And who had the president\u2019s ear?\u201d— Citizens for Ethics (@Citizens for Ethics) 1607536489
"No matter who is president, transparency is what allows the American people to keep tabs on their government. It could not be more important to reverse course from the Trump administration's transparency abuses," the group wrote.
The tweeted recommendations follow a recent CREW report entitled What Democracy Looks Like. Released this month, the publication included a section on how to restore executive transparency and delved more deeply into the steps touched upon in the Wednesday Twitter thread. Solutions the report called for included:
"The Trump administration's violations have culminated in an unmatched disregard for government integrity and personal ethics, and are the latest manifestation of the unremitting insult to the American public's right to knowledge, national security, and our democratic system," the report states. "Reform is needed now more than ever."