Trump makes US seem a 'kleptocracy', says ex-ethics chief Walter Shaub
Source: Guardian News
Shaub, who quit job at head of Office of Government Ethics this month, describes embarrassment of Trumps business ties as president
David Smith in Washington
@smithinamerica
Monday 31 July 2017 02.00 EDT
The former head of the US government ethics watchdog has warned that Donald Trumps conflicts of interest put the country at risk of being seen as a kleptocracy.
Speaking to the Guardian, Walter Shaub, who quit this month as director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), condemned the president for using his hotels and other properties for government business in what is in effect a free advertising campaign.
His actions create the appearance of profiting from the presidency, and the appearance here is everything, because the demand Im making is so much more than have a clean heart. Its: Have a clean heart and act appropriately, Shaub said.
The fact that were having to ask questions about whether hes intentionally using the presidency for profit is bad enough, because the appearance itself undermines confidence in government.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/31/trump-ethics-chief-walter-shaub-kleptocracy
pbmus
(12,414 posts)We are a Kleptocracy with a certain Kakistrophic Klusterf... "taint"
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)under corrupt republican rule, and employing degenerate republican "values."
FakeNoose
(32,202 posts)...but to each his own.
It's obvious to the world that Trump has effectively shredded our Constitution, and he's doing whatever the hell he wants and getting away with it. We're sitting on our hands and watching him do it, pretending we still go by the "rule of law" when we plainly no longer have that protection.
Trump is daring us to stop him, and to hold him to the oath he took to uphold the Constitution. "Having a clean heart and acting appropriately" does not apply. The world needs to see our resolve - and very soon!
VWolf
(3,944 posts)</shakespeare>
keithbvadu2
(36,305 posts)A kakistocracy (English pronunciation: /kækɪsˈtɑkɹəsi/) is a state or country run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens.[1][2] The word was coined as early as the 1600s.[3] It was also used by English author Thomas Love Peacock in 1829.
bora13
(860 posts)let's call it "kakastocracy" with the same meaning.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,144 posts)They are usually ahead of American papers with simply stating the obvious.