Trump ethics watchdog moves to allow anonymous gifts to legal defense funds

[highplainsdem]

Source: Politico

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics has quietly reversed its own internal policy prohibiting anonymous donations from lobbyists to White House staffers who have legal defense funds.

The little-noticed change could help President Donald Trump’s aides raise the money they need to pay attorneys as the Russia probe expands — but raises the potential for hidden conflicts of interest or other ethics trouble.

“You can picture a whole army of people with business before the government willing to step in here and make [the debt] go away,” said Marilyn Glynn, a former George W. Bush-era acting OGE director who worked in the office for 17 years.

-snip-

The OGE guidance is not binding. In fact, Justice Department lawyers and Mueller’s team have full authority to examine who’s footing the bill for potential witnesses in the Trump administration if they have reason to believe other federal laws are being violated from the donations.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/13/trump-ethics-watchdog-legal-defense-242690

[C_U_L8R]

1. Who's watchdogging the watchdogs?

This is ridiculous. Trump is so corrupt.

[SergeStorms]

7. Hopefully......

the threat of Mueller keeping an eye on all who contribute would deter the worst of the lot, but they don't play by the same rules and laws as we mere mortals.

This has been the most crooked, lawless presidential administration in the history of our country. They have done absolutely nothing to comply with the emoluments clause, along with dozens of other Federal regulations to keep an administration from robbing the Treasury blind, but they're Republicans, and regulations, laws and rules don't apply to them. Those are for the "little people".

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

Pay to play.

[olddad56]

3. donations from foreign entities?

[Javaman]

13. the russian defense fund LOL nt

[benld74]

4. tRump named the head of OGE after

The original, left because he couldn't work for tRump. Yeah, he's making more $$$ outta federal market.
But he should have resisted in place
And make him fire you
MHOP

[Angry Dragon]

8. SO TRUE

[PdxSean]

5. Of course!

How else could Russia continue to fund Trump and the rest of its staff in the White House.

[Angry Dragon]

9. SO TRUE

[Midnight Writer]

6. It's only fair for Putin to pay the legal fees for Trump. After all, Trump wouldn't be in this mess

if it weren't for Putin puttin' him there.

[Angry Dragon]

10. SO TRUE

[Scarsdale]

12. The mess the country is in

concerns me more than the mess tRump is in. Take a look at Donnie Two Scoops recently. Looks like the job (and the scrutiny) is affecting him. The bags under his vacant eyes even have their own bags lately!! He is finding out the hard way that "winning" is not all it was cracked up to be. Vlad can not be pleased with the puppet he installed to ruin this country, even though the plan appears to be working. Donnie is so dumb, even the gop finally saw through the plan.

[Angry Dragon]

11. what a load of bullshit............pay to play

[mahatmakanejeeves]

14. Read the Results of OGE's Special Review of Ethics Waivers and Authorizations

Last edited Thu Sep 14, 2017, 08:24 PM - Edit history (1)

Read the Results of OGE’s Special Review of Ethics Waivers and Authorizations

https://oge.app.box.com/v/EthicsWaiverSpecialReport