Summary

The Trump administration faces allegations of corruption, including politicizing the pandemic response, potential financial fraud, conflicts of interest, copyright infringement, and international political maneuvering for electoral gain.

Abstract

This week's focus on Trump administration corruption includes a report that Jared Kushner's task force may have disregarded a national coronavirus testing strategy to politically undermine Democratic states. Manhattan's District Attorney is pursuing Trump's tax returns amid investigations into possible financial crimes by the Trump Organization. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are under scrutiny for potential conflicts of interest due to their significant outside income while serving in government roles. Neil Young has filed a lawsuit against the Trump campaign for unauthorized use of his music at rallies. Additionally, the U.S. ambassador to Brazil is accused of pressuring Brazilian officials to lower ethanol tariffs to benefit Trump's reelection campaign in Iowa. Lastly, Vice President Mike Pence's involvement in the reinstatement of former Navy SEAL and Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens into the Navy, despite allegations of misconduct, raises further ethical concerns.

Opinions

The Kushner-led task force is perceived as having prioritized political strategy over public health by scrapping a coronavirus testing strategy aimed at blue states.
Cyrus Vance's pursuit of Trump's tax returns suggests a belief in extensive criminal activity within the Trump Organization, including potential bank and insurance fraud.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's substantial outside earnings while working in the White House are seen as ethically problematic and potentially conflict-ridden.
Neil Young's lawsuit reflects a strong stance against the Trump campaign's disregard for copyright laws and his personal objections to Trump's use of his songs.
The U.S. ambassador to Brazil's actions are interpreted as an attempt to leverage Brazilian policy for Trump's domestic political advantage, which is considered inappropriate interference in a foreign country's affairs.
The reinstatement of Eric Greitens into the Navy after intervention by Vice President Mike Pence suggests the use of political influence to override standard procedures regarding individuals with a history of alleged misconduct.

TRUMP CORRUPTION INDEX

The Coronavirus Task Farce: This Week in Trumpland Corruption

This week, the saga of Trump’s tax returns continues, as do allegations of foul play in the White House’s coronavirus task force

Photo illustration. Source: State Department

Is there enough graft, double-dealing, and self-interested chicanery in the Trump administration to publish this column every week? Only time — and Trump — will tell. (But we feel pretty confident.) Presenting this week’s installment of the Trump Corruption Index.

Letting the virus run wild to own the libs

Vanity Fair reported last week that a Kushner-led task force scrapped its coronavirus testing and supply strategy in order to take a political shot at blue-state governors. “The political folks believed that because it was going to be relegated to Democratic states, that they could blame those governors, and that would be an effective political strategy,” said an unnamed public health expert who had been in contact with the task force.

Corrupt-o-meter (out of a possible five emojis): 🏥🏥🏥⚕️⚕️

The taxman comes calling

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance told a judge on Monday that he had grounds for demanding eight years of President Trump’s personal and corporate tax returns on account of public reports of “extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization.” The DA’s office also suggested it was investigating the Trump Organization for bank and insurance fraud, an inquiry prompted in part by testimony by Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, who claimed the president would exaggerate the value of his properties and business interests to lenders.

Corrupt-o-meter: 💰💰💰

Not bad for a government employee

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner earned between $36 million and $157 million last year, according to their latest financial disclosures, thanks to their outside businesses. Despite working in the White House as an adviser to the president, Kushner has maintained partial ownership of Kushner Companies, his real estate firm, a fact that many government ethics experts worry could create conflicts of interest.

Corrupt-o-meter: 🤑💵

Keep on stealing in the free world

Neil Young sued the Trump campaign on Tuesday for continuing to play the songs “Rockin’ in the Free World” and “Devil’s Sidewalk” at rallies without Young’s permission. The lawsuit claims that “[t]he Campaign has willfully ignored Plaintiff’s telling it not to play the Songs and willfully proceeded to play the Songs despite its lack of a license and despite its knowledge that a license is required to do so.” Young has been feuding with Trump for years: In 2015, Young was openly critical of Trump for playing “Rockin’ in the Free World” when announcing his candidacy, and again when the president played the song at a recent campaign event at Mount Rushmore.

Corrupt-o-meter: 🎸

Hitting the gas on grift in Brazil

Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported last week that U.S. ambassador to Brazil Todd Chapman pressured officials in President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration to lower ethanol tariffs in order to boost Trump’s reelection efforts in Iowa, the largest ethanol producer in the United States and a swing state in the 2020 election. In response to O Globo’s reporting, the House Foreign Affairs Committee sent a letter accusing Chapman of seeking a foreign government’s aid in an election.

Corrupt-o-meter: 🌽🌽🇧🇷🇧🇷

It’s not what you did—it’s who you know

New reporting from the Kansas City Star found that former Navy SEAL and Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens was reinstated into the Navy last year only after Vice President Mike Pence intervened on his behalf. In an email dated January 11, 2019, Rear Adm. Brendan McLane said he would be “disinclined to grant a major misconduct waiver for anyone with an indictment such as his based on what we know now,” referencing the 2018 allegations against Greitens of campaign and sexual misconduct. Yet McLane said that on a call with Greitens on January 30, 2019, the former governor told him Pence “had asked him to come work for him on a project and suggested he do it in a Navy capacity.” McLane began the reinstatement process that same day.

Corrupt-o-meter: 🎖️🎖️