Democrats ask White House about Trump son-in-law's potential conflicts

[webfact]

Democrats ask White House about Trump son-in-law's potential conflicts

REUTERS

 

U.S. President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump (2nd R) and her family, husband Jared Kushner (from L) and children Joseph and Arabella Kushner, arrive aboard the Marine One helicopter with the president to board Air Force One for travel to Florida from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S. March 3, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three Democratic lawmakers questioned the White House on Wednesday over its handling of U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law's potential conflicts of interest now that he is serving as an official adviser.

 

Jared Kushner, a real estate developer who advised Trump during the presidential campaign, was cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice in January to serve as a White House senior adviser. Kushner, who is married to Trump's eldest daughter, Ivanka, has been given a wide range of domestic and foreign policy responsibilities, including working on a Middle East peace deal.

 

In a letter to Deputy White House Counsel Stefan Passantino, Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tom Carper expressed concern over media reports that Kushner is maintaining some business interests, and asked how the White House plans to comply with laws that prohibit federal officials from profiting by government work.

 

"Neither the White House nor Mr. Kushner's attorneys, however, has confirmed which financial assets Mr. Kushner still controls," making oversight "impossible," they wrote with U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings, the senior Democrat on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in the House of Representatives.

 

They also said the White House, unlike previous administrations, is not posting ethics-pledge waivers on its websites, adding that the public should know the issues from which Kushner must recuse himself.

 

The White House had no immediate comment on the letter.

 

A lawyer for Kushner, Jamie Gorelick, said in a statement: "Mr. Kushner is fully complying with the ethics rules, removing himself from active participation in his prior businesses, divesting of substantial assets and recusing himself where appropriate in light of interests that he is not divesting."

 

Before Trump took office on Jan. 20, Gorelick said her client would leave his family's company, divest substantial assets and recuse himself from matters that could affect his financial interests, Bloomberg reported.

 

Public interest journalism site ProPublica, citing documents submitted to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, reported in February that Kushner had divested some assets but was keeping other holdings linked to privately held Kushner Companies.

 

In authorizing Kushner's appointment, the Justice Department ruled that Trump, as president, has special hiring authority that exempts White House positions from laws barring the president from naming a relative to lead a federal agency.

 

The Democratic lawmakers called on the White House for details on what holdings Kushner maintains, a list of issues he will recuse himself from, and copies of any ethics waivers.

 

They also raised questions about holdings belonging to his wife, who established a clothing and jewellery line, and whether that would lead Kushner to recuse himself from any issues.

 

Trump himself has said he would maintain ownership of his global business empire but would hand off control to his two oldest sons while president.

 

(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by David Alexander and Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-09

[jerojero]

I'm sure Jarad is immensely qualified to work on Middle East peace deals. Slightly more qualified than Trump as President. God help America and the world [emoji288] with these bozos running things.

[otherstuff1957]

Jamie Gorelick is advising Kushner about ethics??  

 

Do a little research on her background.  Having her in that position is wonderfully ironic.

[ezzra]

50 minutes ago, jerojero said:

I'm sure Jarad is immensely qualified to work on Middle East peace deals. Slightly more qualified than Trump as President. God help America and the world with these bozos running things.

 

No less qualified than the bozos Obama and cohorts has employed to do

the middle east peace process,  when criticizing someone, make sure

you have a better alternative to cement your argument....

[Emster23]

Nah, never could be a conflict. "Everybody knows" husbands don't talk with wives about work....

[spidermike007]

6 hours ago, jerojero said:

I'm sure Jarad is immensely qualified to work on Middle East peace deals. Slightly more qualified than Trump as President. God help America and the world with these bozos running things.

 

Jarad is qualified to work on Middle Eastern peace deals. Just like Mr. Bean is qualified to build a next generation nuclear fusion reactor. And Spicer is qualified to be press secretary. And Trump is qualified to be the deflector in chief. 

 

He went to Trump's school of diplomacy. He graduated with a 4.0. The degree cost $30,000. He actually asked for a refund, but Trump refused, and threatened to sue him. 

[Grouse]

Nepotism (even if he's not a descendant)

[elgordo38]

And I leave you with this newsflash. China just "Greenlighted" dozens of Trump trademarks. Seems like the dragon's flame is waning a bit. 

[Jingthing]

The entire trump regime is a deplorable, irredeemable basket of ethical and financial conflicts. As long as the "magical R" party in total power deems it's not in their political interest to do anything about it, they won't do anything about it. trump's polls need to get even lower for there to be hope of that. So for now, wait for that. 

 

To add, handsome family. 

Edited March 9, 2017 by Jingthing

[jerojero]

 
No less qualified than the bozos Obama and cohorts has employed to do
the middle east peace process,  when criticizing someone, make sure
you have a better alternative to cement your argument....

He's a real estate developer. No political experience. Comment cemented. And I never said previous administration was any better or worse. Seems you're the one gearing up for an argument. I'm stating a few facts and an opinion.

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, jerojero said:

He's a real estate developer. No political experience. Comment cemented. And I never said previous administration was any better or worse. Seems you're the one gearing up for an argument. I'm stating a few facts and an opinion.

The Obama administration was basically scandal free as far as financial and ethical corruption. For EIGHT YEARS. 

trump on the other hand has started his regime with scandals and financial conflicts aplenty.

Now how can we remove him for the good of the nation ... that's the trick now. 

 

I'm not going to hypocritical and say it's never right to have relatives in an administration. If they're qualified, why not? I don't see Kushner as being qualified but as others have said, he's more qualified than trump, as are most of the people reading this thread. 

Edited March 9, 2017 by Jingthing

[Jack100]

Not sure if it wise for Trump to appoint such a close relative as his adviser .

 

I seem to remember that last time ,  JFK appointed his brother "Bobby " as his  Attorney General , a  31 yr old man who had hardly practised law ,

That didn't  work out well for either of them either .

[Jingthing]

37 minutes ago, Jack100 said:

Not sure if it wise for Trump to appoint such a close relative as his adviser .

 

I seem to remember that last time ,  JFK appointed his brother "Bobby " as his  Attorney General , a  31 yr old man who had hardly practised law ,

That didn't  work out well for either of them either .

I "knew" Bobby Kennedy.

You, sir (Jared Kushner), are no Bobby Kennedy!

 

Edited March 9, 2017 by Jingthing

[elgordo38]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I'm not going to hypocritical and say it's never right to have relatives in an administration. If they're qualified, why not? 

This I whole heartedly  agree with stinks of nepotism. Its one thing to make people outlandish promises on the campaign trail but its another to do a 360 on them after you are elected. This just follows in the footsteps of so many that have gone on before.