Possible pay-to-play scheme for ambassador role in Trump administration uncovered by CBS News

[Roland99]

Source: CBS News

A CBS News investigation has uncovered a possible pay-for-play scheme involving the Republican National Committee and President Donald Trump's nominee for ambassador to the Bahamas. Emails obtained by CBS News show the nominee, San Diego billionaire Doug Manchester, was asked by the RNC to donate half a million dollars as his confirmation in the Senate hung in the balance, chief investigative correspondent Jim Axelrod reports.

When Hurricane Dorian ravaged the Bahamas in September, Manchester wanted to help. So the San Diego real estate developer, who prefers the nickname "Papa Doug," loaded up his private jet with supplies and headed for the hard-hit Caribbean country where he owned a home – and hoped to soon be serving as U.S. ambassador.

A Trump supporter, Manchester donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund. He was offered the Bahamas post the day after Mr. Trump was sworn in. Manchester said Trump told him, "I should probably be the ambassador to the Bahamas and you should be president."

...

The Senate confirmation process is exactly what Manchester quickly addressed. He wrote back to [RNC Chairwoman] McDaniel's request for $500,000, "As you know I am not supposed to do any, but my wife is sending a contribution for $100,000. Assuming I get voted out of the [Foreign Relations Committee] on Wednesday to the floor we need you to have the majority leader bring it to a majority vote … Once confirmed, I our [sic] family will respond!"

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doug-manchester-possible-pay-to-play-scheme-for-ambassador-role-in-trump-administration-uncovered/

[Farmer-Rick]

1. Wow, what another scam? These filthy rich have the morales of alley cats.

Selling off federal positions for fun and profit.

[empedocles]

2. Duly recorded for the record, which hopefully . . .

[Cartaphelius]

10. Cruelty of alley cats

has been made illegal..... Alley Cats have more morals than
republicans.

[Farmer-Rick]

11. My apologies to alley cats.

[IronLionZion]

21. I doubt alley cats would ever do anything so corrupt as these Republicans

[James48]

3. Add that to the current impeachment charges.

Selling an ambassadorship ranks right up there with graft, greed, corruption of the highest order.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Investigate RNC chair McDaniels for Conspiracy and Accessory to a Crime. . . . nt

[stopdiggin]

14. what I'm thinking

If this request for contribution was illegal (is it?) .. it would seem that would put the RNC squarely in the crosshairs. Correct? Wouldn't rules regarding this be fairly well established? And known?

[mpcamb]

17. Vanity Fair "September 2018--just a few months after Sondland's Senate confirmation--the embassy

in Brussels has been awarded $95,109 for a pergola, $13,301 for a pool-Jacuzzi heating system, $33,625 on wooden household furniture, $208,683 on a professional kitchen remodel, and two bathroom renovations, one costing $53,809 and the other $82,354. Additionally, the State Department spent $103,748 on a hotel, to ostensibly serve as an alternate residence to the embassy..."

I suspect this is just scratching the surface.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. Yeah. Good catch. . . . nt

[dweller]

4. Blagoyeviched

Last edited Mon Nov 18, 2019, 12:36 PM - Edit history (2)

new word for today

✌🏼

[MFGsunny]

9. Perfect new word. When a name becomes a verb! n/t

[DavidDvorkin]

5. Blagoyevich is in a prison not far from my house for exactly that crime

I'm sure there's plent of room for Trump there, too.

[stopdiggin]

15. for better or worse, ambassadorships have been handed out

to contributors as long standing tradition. Blagojevich case involved (allegedly) attempting to sell a Senate seat.
I might be splitting hairs .. but I think there might be a distinction. Apparently the courts felt so.

[DavidDvorkin]

18. That's a good point.

[FakeNoose]

22. Yes well, it's a common theme in beltway politics & economics

I'm sure there are plenty of examples of Dems doing the same thing. We need to clean up and clear out all of these abuses, including those in which Democrats are equally guilty.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. As if tRump is fighting corruption around the world. Or does he say "it takes one to know one"?

Manchester certainly knew what was being dangled, evidenced by his email.

[ffr]

8. When you elect a repupublican, expect the taking your wallet and clubbing you over the head.

[bitterross]

12. This may acutally be a case of "Everyone does it."

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm of the opinion that ambassadorships have long been purchased by friends of the incumbent.

[Marcuse]

13. Trump wants to free former Celebrity Apprentice contestant convicted of bribery, extortion

[link:https://thinkprogress.org/trump-suggests-hell-free-corrupt-ex-governor-rod-blagojevich-celebrity-apprentice-contestant-50954eed5b6c/|




[link:https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210501179|

[IcyPeas]

16. he makes the best deals

every time he says he made a deal with _________ this is probably what he means. pay to play.

some say he's the world's best deal maker. (sarc)

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

19. Imagine that

Corruption seems to be a requirement for this misadministration.

[Brainfodder]

23. Possible? Does this include his bestest people worstest people cabinet?