trump's New Regulations Czar Is a Conflict-of-Interest Disaster
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herman
Dec 21, 2016, 10:56:46 PM12/21/16
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http://www.vox.com/2016/12/21/14046118/trump-carl-icahn-conflict
Five paragraphs into the Wall Street Journal’s article about how Carl Icahn, a legendary investor worth about $20 billion, will serve as a special advisor to Donald Trump on regulatory matters, things get interesting.
“The position isn’t an official government job,” the Journal reports. “Mr. Icahn won’t get paid and won’t have to give up his current business dealings.”
Of course, even if Icahn did get paid, the salary would be peanuts compared with his net worth. More to the point, the monetary value of getting to influence federal regulatory policy when you already have $20 billion in outstanding investments is enormous. Back in August, for example, Icahn was complaining to the media about a particular obscure Environmental Protection Agency rule that was hurting a refining company he owns.
Complaining to the media about regulatory decisions you don’t like is, of course, as American as apple pie. So is hiring a lobbyist or three to press your case. But to have an active businessman formally in a position to do the regulatory work is a fairly open invitation to corruption.
And that’s the kind of thing that past administrations have tried to avoid. But since Donald Trump himself is tied up in unprecedented conflicts of interest, that apparently lowers the bar for the rest of his team too.
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trump, normalizing conflict of interest.
Deplorable Mark
Dec 21, 2016, 11:04:46 PM12/21/16
to Political Euwetopia
You lost. Move on.
Justice
Dec 21, 2016, 11:36:16 PM12/21/16
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Normalizing dump is the real problem.
He's worse than an anomaly -- he's a destroyer.
Good bye democracy - hello kleptocracy.
herman
Dec 21, 2016, 11:57:14 PM12/21/16
to Political Euwetopia
Many of his supporters are destroyers. They seem to want to take down the Federal Government in some sort of cleansing purge.
Justice
Dec 22, 2016, 12:30:23 AM12/22/16
to Political Euwetopia
Except the parts they are relying on to remove the rights of other citizens.
Or to protect them and their neighborhoods from over-reaching business men
who don't want to worry about global warming, or clean water and clean air??
Deplorable Mark
Dec 22, 2016, 7:45:25 AM12/22/16
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You lost, move on.
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