U.S. President-elect Donald Trump arrives at a New Year's Eve event at his Mar-A-Lago Club on December 31, 2024 in Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump Picks Corporate Lobbyist for Key Tax Policy Role
Ken Kies has a client list that includes Microsoft, which stands to benefit from the president-elect's proposed corporate tax cut to the tune of $4 billion per year.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced late Thursday that he has chosen a longtime corporate lobbyist and Republican donor to serve as assistant secretary for tax policy at the Treasury Department as GOP lawmakers prepare to craft another massive giveaway to the rich and major companies.
Ken Kies is currently managing director of the Federal Policy Group, a lobbying firm that was hired last year by Microsoft, the Cruise Lines International Association, the American Automotive Leasing Association, and other corporate interests. If Trump and the incoming Republican Congress succeed in lowering the corporate tax rate to 15%, Microsoft would receive an annual tax break of $4 billion, according to one analysis.
Kies' profile on the Federal Policy Group's website touts the "significant legislative and regulatory results" he has delivered for his clients, "which include major corporations, trade associations, and coalitions of companies with common objectives."
"Mr. Kies has led coalition efforts to enact legislation responding to the World Trade Organization's ruling against U.S. foreign sales corporation benefits, to avert enactment of broad 'corporate tax shelter' legislation that would have an adverse impact on legitimate business transactions, and to reverse Treasury regulations targeting 'hybrid' arrangements of U.S. multinational corporations, among other projects," the profile continues.
If confirmed by the Senate, Kies would work alongside billionaire hedge fund manager Scott Bessent—Trump's pick to lead the Treasury Department—as the second Trump administration pursues an extension of regressive 2017 tax cuts that are set to expire at the end of the year, as well as another rate cut for corporations.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that Republicans are planning to offset some of the enormous projected cost of the proposed tax package with tariffs, cuts to federal nutrition assistance, and work requirements for Medicaid recipients. The GOP is also pushing to eliminate the Education Department, roll back clean energy programs, and prevent Medicare from covering obesity treatments.
In addition to Kies, Trump said Thursday that he has selected Samantha Schwab to serve as deputy chief of staff at the Treasury Department. Schwab is the granddaughter of billionaire investor Charles Schwab, who donated $1 million to Trump's 2017 inaugural fundraising committee, according to Bloomberg.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced late Thursday that he has chosen a longtime corporate lobbyist and Republican donor to serve as assistant secretary for tax policy at the Treasury Department as GOP lawmakers prepare to craft another massive giveaway to the rich and major companies.
Ken Kies is currently managing director of the Federal Policy Group, a lobbying firm that was hired last year by Microsoft, the Cruise Lines International Association, the American Automotive Leasing Association, and other corporate interests. If Trump and the incoming Republican Congress succeed in lowering the corporate tax rate to 15%, Microsoft would receive an annual tax break of $4 billion, according to one analysis.
Kies' profile on the Federal Policy Group's website touts the "significant legislative and regulatory results" he has delivered for his clients, "which include major corporations, trade associations, and coalitions of companies with common objectives."
"Mr. Kies has led coalition efforts to enact legislation responding to the World Trade Organization's ruling against U.S. foreign sales corporation benefits, to avert enactment of broad 'corporate tax shelter' legislation that would have an adverse impact on legitimate business transactions, and to reverse Treasury regulations targeting 'hybrid' arrangements of U.S. multinational corporations, among other projects," the profile continues.
If confirmed by the Senate, Kies would work alongside billionaire hedge fund manager Scott Bessent—Trump's pick to lead the Treasury Department—as the second Trump administration pursues an extension of regressive 2017 tax cuts that are set to expire at the end of the year, as well as another rate cut for corporations.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that Republicans are planning to offset some of the enormous projected cost of the proposed tax package with tariffs, cuts to federal nutrition assistance, and work requirements for Medicaid recipients. The GOP is also pushing to eliminate the Education Department, roll back clean energy programs, and prevent Medicare from covering obesity treatments.
In addition to Kies, Trump said Thursday that he has selected Samantha Schwab to serve as deputy chief of staff at the Treasury Department. Schwab is the granddaughter of billionaire investor Charles Schwab, who donated $1 million to Trump's 2017 inaugural fundraising committee, according to Bloomberg.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced late Thursday that he has chosen a longtime corporate lobbyist and Republican donor to serve as assistant secretary for tax policy at the Treasury Department as GOP lawmakers prepare to craft another massive giveaway to the rich and major companies.
Ken Kies is currently managing director of the Federal Policy Group, a lobbying firm that was hired last year by Microsoft, the Cruise Lines International Association, the American Automotive Leasing Association, and other corporate interests. If Trump and the incoming Republican Congress succeed in lowering the corporate tax rate to 15%, Microsoft would receive an annual tax break of $4 billion, according to one analysis.
Kies' profile on the Federal Policy Group's website touts the "significant legislative and regulatory results" he has delivered for his clients, "which include major corporations, trade associations, and coalitions of companies with common objectives."
"Mr. Kies has led coalition efforts to enact legislation responding to the World Trade Organization's ruling against U.S. foreign sales corporation benefits, to avert enactment of broad 'corporate tax shelter' legislation that would have an adverse impact on legitimate business transactions, and to reverse Treasury regulations targeting 'hybrid' arrangements of U.S. multinational corporations, among other projects," the profile continues.
If confirmed by the Senate, Kies would work alongside billionaire hedge fund manager Scott Bessent—Trump's pick to lead the Treasury Department—as the second Trump administration pursues an extension of regressive 2017 tax cuts that are set to expire at the end of the year, as well as another rate cut for corporations.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that Republicans are planning to offset some of the enormous projected cost of the proposed tax package with tariffs, cuts to federal nutrition assistance, and work requirements for Medicaid recipients. The GOP is also pushing to eliminate the Education Department, roll back clean energy programs, and prevent Medicare from covering obesity treatments.
In addition to Kies, Trump said Thursday that he has selected Samantha Schwab to serve as deputy chief of staff at the Treasury Department. Schwab is the granddaughter of billionaire investor Charles Schwab, who donated $1 million to Trump's 2017 inaugural fundraising committee, according to Bloomberg.