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[Oersted]

The Trump administration, in a significant escalation of its clash with the government’s top ethics watchdog, has moved to block an effort to disclose any ethics waivers granted to former lobbyists who now work in the White House or federal agencies.

The latest conflict came in recent days when the White House, in a highly unusual move, sent a letter to Walter M. Shaub Jr., the head of the Office of Government Ethics, asking him to withdraw a request he had sent to every federal agency for copies of the waivers. In the letter, the administration challenged his legal authority to demand the information.

Dozens of former lobbyists and industry lawyers are working in the Trump administration, which has hired them at a much higher rate than the previous administration. Keeping the waivers confidential would make it impossible to know whether any such officials are violating federal ethics rules or have been given a pass to ignore them.

Both Mr. Trump and Mr. Obama reserved the right to issue waivers to this ban. Mr. Obama, unlike Mr. Trump, automatically made any such waivers public, offering detailed explanations. The exceptions were typically granted for people with special skills, or when the overlap between the new federal work and a prior job was minor.

Ethics watchdogs, as well as Democrats in Congress, have expressed concern at the number of former lobbyists taking high-ranking political jobs in the Trump administration. In many cases, they appear to be working on the exact topics they had previously handled on behalf of private-sector clients — including oil and gas companies and Wall Street banks — as recently as January.

Federal law gives the Office of Government Ethics, which was created in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, clear legal authority to issue such a “data request” to the ethics officers at federal agencies. This is the main power the office has to oversee compliance with federal ethics standards.

More here

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/05/22/us/politics/trump-white-house-government-ethics-lobbyists.html

Lock if old

 

[Agent Icebeezy]

Definitely the actions of someone that is innocent.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

The irony, blocking an ethics inquiry is pretty unethical. Or at least I would assume so.

 

[Eusis]

Maybe they should have asked where the swamp would be drained to. That water had to go somewhere!

 

[Atomic Playboy]

You can barely see the swamp with how quickly it's being drained.

 

[5taquitos]

Clearly the swamp is being drained.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

The irony, blocking an ethics inquiry is pretty unethical. Or at least I would assume so.

The fact that it's even possible is just more evidence that the WH specifically has operated on the honor system. There are no actual teeth to any rules or regulations within that area.

 

[Tovarisc]

The fact that it's even possible is just more evidence that the WH specifically has operated on the honor system. There are no actual teeth to any rules or regulations within that area.

Maybe only good thing of Trump presidency is that he has exposed how easily system breaks down and is abused.

 

[SwiftDeath]

Dozens of former lobbyists and industry lawyers are working in the Trump administration, which has hired them at a much higher rate than the previous administration.

Ahh the old drain the swamp by overfilling it

 

[Oersted]

The irony, blocking an ethics inquiry is pretty unethical. Or at least I would assume so.

Bonus irony:

The Office of Government Ethics was introduced as lesson from Watergate

 

[Zolo]

That seems pretty unethical.

 

[jelly]

If the Dems get back in they would get a lot respect from me if they sorted out these rules and regulations, giving them real teeth that can't be overlooked or dodged.

 

[theechrisfox]

The current administration is allergic to ethics.

 

[Maintenance]

Maybe they should have asked where the swamp would be drained to. That water had to go somewhere!

Knowing the GOP they would send it to Flint.

 

[yanipheonu]

The plutocracy must be unhindered.

 

[LiK]

WH doesn't believe in ethics.

 

[NullPointer]

Of course they are.

Every time I check the news its just a matter of reading what moronic, corrupt and assholish or straight up evil thing they've done for the day.

They really know how to stay on brand.

 

[mnannola]

I'm sure there is a perfectly ethical explanation for this.

 

[commedieu]

NO MOAR PAY 2 PLAY#

 

[Lord Frieza]

If the Dems get back in they would get a lot respect from me if they sorted out these rules and regulations, giving them real teeth that can't be overlooked or dodged.

We really need a federal anti-corrupt law that severally limits the amount of private money that can be funneled into government, especially from special interest groups. Problem is that Dems have this issue as a party, too, though not nearly to the level the GOP has, and I think Citizens United would probably be used to potentially overturn it, and since the SC already fucked up being giving the okay on CU, I don't know how much of a chance it really has.

 

[Vincent Alexander]

I just can't even wrap my head around how the White House has the power to do this. Just like....wut?

 

[BeforeU]

these people are disgrace, fuck em all

 

[Intheflorsh]

Right after they were so concerned about ethics with Mueller, weird.

 

[Arttemis]

Is Mr. Shaub going to comply with the threats asking him to stop?

This is just as bad as firing the FBI director investigating him!

 

[Aselith]

Ahh the old drain the swamp by overfilling it

#breaktheswampdamsothatitdrainsandfloodsthevalley

 

[NewFresh]

Is Mr. Shaub going to comply with the threats asking him to stop?

This is just as bad as firing the FBI director investigating him!

I imagine that this just leads to legal infighting between government agencies, which is pretty terrible.

 

[GarthVaderUK]

Alternative draining the swamp.

 

[Arttemis]

"Mr. Shaub, in a conference call with federal government ethics officers on Thursday, told them that he had the clear authority to make such a request and that they were still obligated under federal law to provide the requested information, according to a federal official who participated in the call.

The Office of Government Ethics, however, does not have the power to take enforcement action directly against the agencies if they do not respond. Traditionally, if it has trouble getting the information it needs, it turns to the White House to get compliance, Ms. Glynn said.

“The agency is more or less dependent on the good graces of the party that is in power,” she said."

What the fuck.

 

[Septimus Prime]

If the Dems get back in they would get a lot respect from me if they sorted out these rules and regulations, giving them real teeth that can't be overlooked or dodged.

They won't. They will most likely undo a lot of the toxic shit that Trump's been doing, but they're not going to reverse the presidential power creep that's been rolling along pretty much since the office was created.

 

[NullPointer]

What the fuck.

The Trump presidency was been a serious wake-up call on how much assumed legal accountability is actually only voluntary behavior bound to traditions and customs and expected decorum, and can be ignored by the party in power when they feel they can get away with it.

What a mess.

 

[Host Samurai]

But who was checks and balances? There are definitely lots of holes in our democracy

 

[Escape Goat]

And Monday isn't even over yet!

 

[Shaanyboi]

Why would voting Republican be considered a desirable choice again?

 

[Tovarisc]

But who was checks and balances? There are definitely lots of holes in our democracy

They are there, kinda. Just when you control everything outside of courts you don't need to enforce them.

 

[shiba5]

The swamp just got 10' deeper.

 

[Lord Frieza]

But who was checks and balances? There are definitely lots of holes in our democracy

The checks and balances would work almost perfectly if every branch were doing their job. With the Executive Branch out of control, the Judiciary and Legislative one need to step up to check them. Of course, the crux of the problem is the Executive out of control, but if the other two did their jobs, it would be mostly be fine. The Judiciary has mostly been fine in that regard so far. It's the Legislative one that has utterly failed because the GOP is just so fucking awful

 

[Spladam]

Make the swamp a little deeper.

 

[Eusis]

Knowing the GOP they would send it to Flint.

No no, pretty clear that it's straight to the White House. How charitable of the president

Spoiler

given that he's clearly some sort of orange swamp monster.

 

[HotHamBoy]

"Listen, I'm the most ethical person you ever met in your life. Believe me. No one is more ethical than me. Everybody says so."

 

[dskillzhtown]

Draining that Swamp.

 

[andythinkpad]

I would like to see you block the internet when the piss tape is released you turd.

 

[Wilsongt]

 

[malfcn]

The same administration that requested which scientists studied global warming? Shocked.

 

[boiled goose]

Edit. Wrong thread

 

[Jackpot]

Ethics office hits back

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...ernment-ethics-office-lobbyists-mick-mulvaney

Ethics office rejects White House attempt to halt inquiry into lobbyists

Shaub fired back Monday that OGE’s request was well within bounds. The ethics director says he expects to see the waiver information within 10 days.

In 2009, the Republican senator Chuck Grassley asked the government ethics office to use its authority to force Barack Obama to reveal how many waivers he had granted to ex-lobbyists in his new administration.

Eight years and a political flip later, Republicans in Donald Trump’s administration say OGE lacks that authority, and they have asserted that there is no need for them to publicly disclose any ethics waivers.

Shaub highlighted Grassley’s request years ago as evidence that lawmakers agree that OGE’s request is well within bounds, even though Republicans so far have been silent on the Trump administration’s resistance to disclosure.

fucking blatantly corrupt scum.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Ethics office hits back

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...ernment-ethics-office-lobbyists-mick-mulvaney







fucking blatantly corrupt scum.

Good, fucking corrupt shit cans.

 

[thesaucetastic]

Ethics office hits back

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...ernment-ethics-office-lobbyists-mick-mulvaney

fucking blatantly corrupt scum.

These fuckers are so spineless.

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

Ethics office hits back

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...ernment-ethics-office-lobbyists-mick-mulvaney

In 2009, the Republican senator Chuck Grassley asked the government ethics office to use its authority to force Barack Obama to reveal how many waivers he had granted to ex-lobbyists in his new administration.

Eight years and a political flip later, Republicans in Donald Trump's administration say OGE lacks that authority, and they have asserted that there is no need for them to publicly disclose any ethics waivers.

Political Fu: The Hypocrisy Continues


fucking blatantly corrupt scum.

Political Fu: The Hypocrisy Continues

 

[bounchfx]

literally everything they do are the actions of someone that is overwhelmingly guilty

 

[Shoeless]

So, are Trump supporters in favor of this, assuming that they are even aware it is happening? Does this force them to admit that nepotism and cronyism are perfectly acceptable and that a real, freedom loving American doesn't try to work hard to get ahead, but count on being a friend or family member that gets special treatment?