A NOTE FROM FRED
Democracy 21 and CREW called on the Office of Government Ethics today to investigate whether Jared Kushner’s “extensive and ongoing” business interests, including by attribution those of his spouse Ivanka Trump, conflict with his official responsibilities as Senior Adviser to the President.
We asked OGE to investigate two areas of apparent conflicts of interest: Kushner’s financial ties in Israel and his White House responsibilities regarding Israel; and Ivanka Trump’s financial interests in China, attributed to Kushner under conflict of interest rules, and Kushner’s official responsibilities regarding China.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are in unique if not unprecedented positions, as the son-in-law and daughter of President Trump, both holding important positions in the White House while they maintain extensive private business interests. In fact, according to recent reporting, the couple made $82M in outside income last year while working in the White House.
Kushner has extensive financial entanglements with Israel banks and companies. He has also been appointed by President Trump to play a lead role in U.S. efforts to broker peace in the Middle East. This requires Kushner to serve as an honest broker between Israel and the Palestinians, which is difficult to do credibly when he has financial ties to Israeli businesses.
Ivanka Trump’s business has dozens of trademarks in China. In May 2018, The New York Times reported that her business was awarded seven new trademarks in China. Meanwhile, Kushner’s White House responsibilities include foreign policy matters involving China.
The American people are entitled to have public officials who do not create the appearance, if not the reality, of financial conflicts of interest, and who do make use of their public office for private gain.
These are well established standards for government service which Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are not meeting.
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MUST READS
D21 NEWS
D21 Urges House Members To Vote “No” On Resolution Demanding DOJ Documents
In a letter sent to Representatives today, D21 urged them to vote “No” on H.Res.970, sponsored by Reps. Mark Meadows (R-NC) and Jim Jordan (R-OH), which demands that the DOJ turn over “reams of documents” connected to Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation. It passed today by a vote of 226-183. Read more
D21 And CREW Request OGE Investigation Into Jared Kushner’s Conflicts Of Interest
D21 and CREW requested an investigation into potential conflicts of interest between Kushner’s financial interests and his official responsibilities regarding Israel and regarding China. Read more
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FACT OF THE WEEK
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who defeated incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley in Tuesday’s Democratic primary in New York, spent $128,140 from April 1, 2018 to June 6, 2018. Rep. Crowley spent $1.1 million over the same period, outspending Ocasio-Cortez by a 9-to-1 margin.
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THE RUSSIAN WEB
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POLL OF THE WEEK
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131 DAYS …
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Democratic 2020 Hopefuls Start Admitting Their Ambitions
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