BearlySane88 said:
The hypocrisy shows once again. Biden set the precedent. Trump fears there will be frivolous charges brought against people just for being associated with his presidency. Same thing Biden did, you just need something new to rag on Trump for.
Based on reports from government watchdogs, congressional investigations, and media reporting, several members of the Trump administration and associated insiders were accused of engaging in self-dealing, ethical lapses, or potentially unlawful actions by utilizing their public positions for personal, financial, or political gain.
Presidential and Family Self-Dealing
Trump Properties and Foreign Emoluments: Donald Trump retained ownership of his business empire, leading to thousands of conflicts of interest. Foreign governments, including Turkey, and domestic special interests held events at Trump properties, such as the Trump International Hotel in D.C. and Mar-a-Lago, directly enriching the President while seeking access.
Trump Organization Trademarks: During his presidency, China and other foreign governments granted dozens of trademarks to the Trump Organization, raising constitutional emoluments concerns.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner: While serving as senior White House advisers, they kept their business interests, raising ethical questions about how their public duties affected their personal finances. Ivanka Trump continued to promote her fashion line while in office, and the couple was involved in numerous high-level meetings that often overlapped with their business dealings.
Trump Family Crypto Venture (Second Term): As of early 2025, reports highlighted the launch of "World Liberty Financial," a cryptocurrency venture launched by the family that raised over $550 million while Trump was in office, creating significant potential conflicts of interest.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Cabinet and Senior Official Actions
Wilbur Ross (Commerce Secretary): Reports found Ross failed to divest from companies, lied to ethics officials about his holdings, and met with executives of companies (like Chevron) in which his wife held a substantial investment.
Scott Pruitt (EPA Administrator): Faced multiple investigations for unethical behavior, including attempting to use his public position to help his wife find a business opportunity (a Chick-fil-A franchise) and using staff to help his family with personal matters.
Ryan Zinke (Interior Secretary): Investigated by federal investigators for a series of potential ethical breaches, including a Montana land deal involving a Halliburton executive, and resigned amid multiple ethics investigations.
Tom Price (HHS Secretary): Resigned following a scandal regarding his use of private jets for government travel, which cost taxpayers over $400,000.
Betsy DeVos (Education Secretary): While not accused of direct personal enrichment, her tenure was marked by accusations that she hired industry lobbyists who had previously worked for for-profit education companies, benefiting those industries, according to congressional Democrats.
Nikki Haley (UN Ambassador): Was found to have violated the Hatch Act when she retweeted a presidential endorsement of a congressional candidate.
WRAL
Unethical and Unlawful Actions by Associates
Michael Cohen (Personal Attorney): Leveraged his role into a lucrative consulting business, selling access as a "Trump insider" to companies like AT&T and Novartis, for which he was later indicted for fraud, tax evasion, and campaign finance violations.
Roger Stone (Advisor): Convicted of obstructing a congressional investigation, witness tampering, and making false statements, though his sentence was later commuted by President Trump.
Steve Bannon (Advisor): Indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in the "We Build the Wall" fundraising effort, for which he was later pardoned by Trump.
Michael Flynn (National Security Advisor): Pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI regarding his interactions with Russian officials.
Patterns of Ethical Evasion
Hatch Act Violations: The Office of Special Counsel found that more than a dozen senior Trump aides, including Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Stephen Miller, Kellyanne Conway, and Kayleigh McEnany, violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits using official positions for partisan politics.
Firing Inspectors General: President Trump removed several inspectors general, including those at the State Department, Intelligence Community, and Department of Defense, who were conducting investigations into his administration's actions.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Top Insider Self-Dealing and Ethics Scandals (20252026)
Donald Trump (President) & Family:
Crypto Empire & Foreign Influence: Investigations found that Trump and his family launched cryptocurrency ventures (World Liberty Financial, $TRUMP memecoin) that generated millions, attracting investments from foreign entities seeking influence.
White House Promotion: Trump has used his position to promote personal products, including sneakers, watches, and bibles, with 2025 disclosures revealing at least $10 million in royalties.
Hospitality/Conflicts: Foreign officials and domestic groups have continued to hold events at Trump-owned properties.
Melania Trump:
Amazon Documentary Deal: Shortly before the 2025 inauguration, Melania Trump secured a reported $40 million deal with Amazon Prime for a "behind-the-scenes" documentary.
Elon Musk (Department of Government Efficiency):
Special Government Employee Concerns: As a "special government employee," Musk's involvement in the administration raised concerns regarding his ability to conduct necessary business to lead Tesla, while advising on government efficiency, though no specific illegal wrongdoing was cited.
Steve Witkoff (Special Envoy):
Crypto Partner: Involved in the Trump family's cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial, while serving as a top diplomatic envoy.
Kristi Noem (Former DHS Secretary Designate):
Mismanagement & Self-Promotion: Reports indicated Noem spent $220 million for self-promoting Department of Homeland Security ads.
Trump Cabinet Members (General):
Financial Ties: A report found that 20 out of 23 of Trump's Cabinet members had given significant funds to his campaigns, Super PACs, or inauguration fund, creating a "spoils system" appearance.
U.S. House Judiciary Committee Democrats | (.gov)
Key Unethical/Unlawful Actions & Patterns
Pardon of Convicted Individuals: In April 2025, Trump pardoned nursing home executive Walczak, whose mother paid $1 million to attend a MAGA Inc. fundraiser after Walczak was sentenced for a $10 million fraud, with the pardon application directly referencing the donation.
Regulatory Retaliation/Favoritism: The administration has been accused of using the SEC to push high-risk crypto markets that benefit allies, while simultaneously launching a task force to target fraud in other areas.
Schedule G/Civil Service Changes: An Executive Order created "Schedule G" to reclassify civil service positions, allowing the hiring of loyalists into key policy roles and removing protections for non-partisan experts.
Weaponization of Agencies: Legal action was initiated to replace the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey after they were appointed by the courts, with attorney general Pam Bondi attacking the courts as a "corrupt body".
Better Markets
Other Noted Associates
Roger Stone: Continued close association with the administration despite prior criminal convictions for lying in the Mueller probe.
Michael Flynn: Remained a key figure in the "MAGA" sphere, often influencing policy discussions despite his past legal issues.
*I estimate that your post quoted above that was in reply to my comment on the Wall Street Journal article regarding Trump stating that he will pardon all his top administration officials required 15 to 20 seconds tops of reflection and analysis.
My reply to your comment took 10 seconds of reflection and analysis.
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