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corruption
Probe Demanded Into Trump's 'Crony Capitalism' in Favor of Musk
Democratic senators said diplomatic discussions with numerous foreign governments about Elon Musk's satellite service appear to be "a textbook case of corruption."
May 15, 2025
Amid the news that billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk secured a new deal with Saudia Arabia for his satellite internet service just as U.S. President Donald Trump was visiting the Middle Eastern country, Democratic senators are intensifying their demand for an investigation into how Musk has directly benefited from the president's policies and actions since taking office.
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) wrote to top Trump administration officials demanding a probe into what they called "a textbook case of corruption."
Musk, a "special government employee" who has led Trump's efforts to slash public spending via the Department of Government Efficiency, said at an investment forum in Riyadh Tuesday that Starlink, the satellite service owned by his aerospace company, SpaceX, had gotten approval to operate in Saudi Arabia.
The service has struggled to gain traction in international markets, relying on permits from foreign governments—but its trajectory has changed since Trump took office.
"Starlink has seen a rush of new countries permitting the company to enter their markets," wrote the senators. "Soon after President Trump announced tariffs, Lesotho 'awarded Musk's firm the nation's first-ever satellite internet service license,' and 'is far from the only country that has decided to assist Musk's firm while trying to fend off U.S. tariffs.'"
India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh have also agreed to work with Musk's company in recent weeks as Trump was threatening to impose tariffs.
On Thursday, ProPublicadetailed some of the discussions the administration has had with foreign governments in recent weeks, about trade as well as foreign aid, with an apparent goal: "Get business for Elon Musk."
In Gambia, where Musk had tried for months to secure approval for Starlink, U.S. Ambassador Sharon Cromer—an appointee of former President Joe Biden—met with the country's top communications official, Lamin Jabbi, in February.
"We ask that the DOJ and the White House investigate whether any officials have pursued a quid pro quo exchange of Starlink access for tariff favors in violation of federal ethics law."
"The administration had already begun freezing foreign aid projects, and early in the meeting, Cromer... said something that rattled Gambian officials in the room," reported ProPublica. "She listed the ways that the U.S. was supporting the country, according to two people present and contemporaneous notes, noting that key initiatives—like one that funds a $25 million project to improve the electrical system—were currently under review."
Hassan Jallow, a top deputy to Jabbi, told ProPublica that the clear implication in Cromer's comments "was that they were connected."
Similar discussions have taken place between U.S. officials and the government of Cameroon—where leaders were told they could prove their "commitment to Trump's agenda by letting Starlink expand its presence there" and warned of the potential "impact of U.S. aid cuts and deportations."
In Lesotho, Starlink finalized a deal with officials after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on the landlocked country.
Kenneth Fairfax, who served as U.S. ambassador to Kazakhstan, told ProPublica the conversations pushing countries to approve deals with Musk "could lead to the impression that the U.S. is engaging in a form of crony capitalism."
The Saudi deal announced Tuesday was finalized just as Trump secured a $600 billion investment deal with the country and agreed to sell the government a $142 billion arms package.
As Common Dreamsreported last week, internal government messages have shown how U.S. embassies and the State Department have mentioned Starlink by name in numerous communications with foreign governments about satellite companies.
"Secretary of State Marco Rubio has increasingly instructed officials to push for regulatory approvals for Musk's satellite firm at a moment when the White House is calling for wide-ranging talks on trade," The Washington Post reported.
Warren, Warner, and Shaheen wrote that the Public Integrity Section at the Department of Justice (DOJ) "is responsible for investigating
potentially criminal conflicts of interest like this," and called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to initiate a probe.
"The White House's Designated Agency Ethics Official can similarly investigate potential ethics violations by White House officials," they wrote. "We ask that the DOJ and the White House investigate whether any officials have pursued a quid pro quo exchange of Starlink access for tariff favors in violation of federal ethics law."
The lawmakers also called on the State Department inspector general to investigate whether department officials "may be subverting the public's interests in favor of Mr. Musk's personal financial interests as they negotiate new tariff agreements—and whether they have been directed by Mr. Musk or President Trump to do so."
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Don’t Be Scared of Impeachment–This One’s an Easy Call
Impeachment is a slam-dunk signal to a representative’s constituents that they are upholding their oath to the Constitution and the American people.
May 14, 2025
When I joined the Air Force, I took the oath every serviceperson takes: to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter. Every member of Congress takes this same oath.
At his inauguration, President Donald Trump swore a much shorter oath: to faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and to the best of his ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. He has since actively rejected his responsibility to the Constitution, ignoring Supreme Court rulings, violating the emoluments clause, stripping people of due process, and engaging in nakedly corrupt self-enrichment. We are in a constitutional crisis, in every sense of the word.
None of Trump’s unconstitutional actions are disputed. My responsibility as a citizen is the same as the responsibility of our duly elected officials in the Senate and the House: to remove this blatantly unfit president from office. If Trump isn’t sure he needs to uphold the Constitution, he should not be leading our democracy. Simple.
Trump is a blatantly corrupt tyrant laying waste to the Constitution. Democrats know it. Republicans know it. The American people know it. The remedy is clear: impeachment.
Democrats have made it clear that they believe Trump has committed impeachable offenses. They tell us endlessly, in all forms of social media, public speeches, and fundraising texts, about the bribery and the violation of rights and the usurpation of the power of the purse. They all pledge to do something about it.
That something must be impeachment.
Impeachment is the legal remedy for the unconstitutional actions of this president, enshrined in the Constitution by the Founding Fathers and framers of the Constitution. They understood the danger a tyrant would pose to our republic, and provided impeachment as the clear, constitutional method to remove “a president who mistakes himself for a monarch.” Impeachment and removal of a tyrant is the fundamental responsibility of duly elected members of the House of Representatives.
I am taking my oath seriously. In April I started the grassroots Citizens’ Impeachment with former Senate staffer Gabe Garbowit. We started out as Operation Anti-King, and recruited citizens from every congressional district and sent more than 600 emails to ask their representatives if they would support impeachment. Fifteen representatives said yes.
One of those Representatives is also taking their oath seriously: Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) has gone on to introduce articles of impeachment under Rule IX, requiring the House to vote on impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for his undisputed high crimes and misdemeanors. That vote happens this week.
It’s a simple question: Is this impeachable conduct or not? Any representative who answers “yes” to that question and intends to uphold their oath of office should stand firmly behind impeachment. This includes voting to move forward the articles of impeachment introduced by Rep. Thanedar.
Reportedly, some Democrats aren’t thrilled at the opportunity for an up-and-down vote on impeachment, but they should be. A majority of likely voters support impeachment, including a majority of Independents (55%). Democratic likely voters are particularly enthusiastic, with 64% strongly supporting impeachment and another 16% supporting impeachment somewhat. Impeachment is a slam-dunk signal to a Democratic representative’s constituents that they are upholding their oath to the Constitution and the American people.
Trump is not invincible. His coalition is starting to crack over the obvious incompetence and corruption, and he has the lowest approval rating of any president in the past 80 years at this point in their term. If Congress refuses to uphold their own oath to support and defend the Constitution by removing him from office, there isn’t anything left to hold back this rogue president from a full power grab.
Voters also have a huge part to play here. We need to insist that every duly elected representative—Democrat and Republican alike—uphold their oath of office and move forward articles of impeachment this week. The more our elected officials hear from their constituents, the harder it is to ignore us and the constitutional crisis. Citizens’ Impeachment has instructions and scripts to help you tell your representative to support impeachment and move forward H. Res 353, Impeaching Donald John Trump.
The Citizens’ Impeachment movement came together very quickly—from two passionate and determined people to thousands of active volunteers in less than two months—because we recognize two things. The first is that impeachment is the only way to remove a tyrant as laid out in the Constitution. And the second is that the power of people coming together, to tell our elected representatives what we want to see them do, to pressure them into committing to this path publicly, is how we can get them to act.
Trump is a blatantly corrupt tyrant laying waste to the Constitution. Democrats know it. Republicans know it. The American people know it. The remedy is clear: impeachment. This week, representatives have the opportunity to align themselves with the American people, uphold their oath, and support and defend the Constitution. We will see how many of them take it.
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Grifter-in-Chief Trump and the Grift That Keeps on Grifting
In case you haven't noticed, the bribes Trump is taking are getting bigger and bigger.
May 12, 2025
Trump is overplaying his hand.
Not just by usurping the powers of Congress and ignoring Supreme Court rulings. Not just abducting people who are legally in the United States but have put their name to opinion pieces Trump doesn’t like and trucking them off to “detention” facilities. Not just using the Justice Department for personal vengeance. Not just unilaterally deciding how much tariff tax American consumers will have to pay on almost everything they buy.
Polls show all these are tanking Trump’s popularity.
But one thing almost all Americans are firmly against — even many loyal Trumpers — us bribery. And Trump is taking bigger and bigger bribes.
It was reported over the weekend that he’s accepting a luxury Boeing 747-8 plane worth at least $400 million from the Qatari royal family, for use during his presidency and for his personal use afterward.
Trump just can’t resist. He’s been salivating over the plane for months. It’s bigger and newer than Air Force One — and so opulently configured that it’s known as “a flying palace.” (No report on whether it contains a golden toilet.)
Apparently he’s been talking about the plane for months. In February, he toured it while it was parked at Palm Beach International Airport.
He’s tried to redecorate the White House into a palace but that’s not nearly as satisfying as flying around the world in one, especially once he’s left the White House (assuming he will).
Attorney General Pam Bondi said it’s perfectly legal for him to accept such a bribe, er, gift.
Hello?
The U.S. Constitution clearly forbids officers of the United States from taking gifts from foreign governments. It’s called the “emoluments clause.” (See Article I, Section 9.)
Anyone viewing Bondi as a neutral judge of what’s legal and what’s not when it comes to Trump can’t be trusted to be a neutral judge of Bondi. Recall that she represented Trump in a criminal proceeding. Presumably he appointed her attorney general because he knew she’d do and say anything he wanted.
Oh, and she used to lobby for Qatar.
So, what does Qatar get in return for the $400 million plane? What’s the quid for the quo?
This week Trump takes the first overseas trip of his second presidency. He’ll land in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, followed by a visit to Qatar, and then to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E).
That’s a big boost for Qatar right there.
Trump also just did what Qatar has been wanting done for years — announcing that the Persian Gulf (as it’s been known since at least 550 B.C.) will henceforth be known as the Arabian Gulf.
Trump’s company has just announced a new golf resort in Qatar, reportedly partnering with a company owned by the royal family.
Qatar is also pushing the Trump regime to lift sanctions on Syria.
The payback could be any number of things. The only certainty is that you and I and other Americans won’t necessarily benefit.
This week’s trip to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the U.A.E. is as much a personal business trip for Trump and his family businesses as a diplomatic trip.
Eric Trump, who officially runs the family business, has just announced plans for a Trump-branded hotel and tower in Dubai, part of the U.A.E.
The Trump family’s developments in the Middle East depend on a Saudi-based real estate company with close ties to the Saudi government. Saudi Arabia has a long list of pressing matters before the United States, including requests to buy F-35 fighter jets and gain access to nuclear power technology.
Trump’s family crypto firm, World Liberty Financial, announced that its so-called “stablecoin” — with Trump’s likeness all over it — will be used by the U.A.E. to make a $2 billion business deal with Binance, the largest crypto exchange in the world. The deal will generate hundreds of millions of dollars more for the Trump family.
I had assumed that Trump’s undoing would be his unquenchable thirst for power. It may yet be, but I’m beginning to think his insatiable greed will do him in. America’s Grifter-in-Chief knows no bounds.
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