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Articles by Steven L. Schooner
Exploiting Public Office for Private Gain
At no time in the modern era has the nation’s chief executive appeared not only willing, but eager to exploit the nation’s highest office for the benefit of his personal, family, and business wealth. Conflicts of interest—the divided loyalties associated with serving two masters—might seem vague to some, but the problem is real. The details of President Trump’s business arrangements matter.
Viewpoint: Stop The Obstruction and Authorize the Transition
To ensure “the orderly transfer of executive power” following presidential elections, Congress devised a system “to provide transition support to the winning candidates well before absolute certainty is reached by the Electoral College [in] December.” Despite the widely confirmed outcome of the 2020 Presidential Election, Emily Murphy, the administrator of the General Service Administration is frustrating Congress’ intent by failing to “ascertain” that Joe Biden is the successful presidential...
We Need to Talk About Corruption
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic confirmed a cruel form of American exceptionalism—the country’s exceptionally poor performance in handling the virus as measured in deaths and infections. Neither flag waving nor flyovers can mask other American failures, including climate change indifference, tolerance for gun violence, inadequate health care, gross income inequality, systemic racism and other ailments. We’ve got some serious issues to address.
The VA Grand Challenge: Looking for Love in The Wrong Places
Even before the current pandemic, our nation’s veterans were killing themselves at an alarming rate. So we were happy to learn that the Veterans Affairs Department is contemplating a “grand challenge” to develop evidence-based solutions to prevent suicide and reduce suicidal ideation. We applaud VA for seeking help, and we join former Office of Federal Procurement Policy Administrator Steve Kelman in supporting VA’s embrace of prize contests to solve this seemingly intractable problem.
Viewpoint: Suspend The Trump Organization From Doing Business With Government
The federal government should suspend the Trump Organization from doing business with agencies. The Trump family businesses should in fact be debarred, but the standard for suspension is lower, the case is more clear, and the permissible period for suspension—up to one year—is sufficient for the government to avoid the worst risks associated with doing additional business with the Trump family.
For Pentagon procurement, Trump backs off on Amazon-bashing tweets
(Bloomberg) President Donald Trump often tweets about the many ways he dislikes Amazon.com Inc. and its founder Jeff Bezos—from the president’s contention that the online merchant has a sweetheart deal with the Postal Service to Bezos’s ownership of what Trump calls “the Amazon Washington Post.” If it were demonstrated that Amazon was denied the opportunity based on the president’s business interests or inappropriate criteria, that would raise eyebrows.
Foreign Governments Are Funneling Money into Trump's Hotels. We Still Don't Know How Much.
The Trump Organization’s response to the problem of foreign governments trying to curry favor with the president is an empty gesture. Last week, a remarkable ethics episode briefly percolated to the top of the boiling cauldron known as the Trump administration news cycle. The Trump family appeared to acknowledge the public’s concern that foreign governments are attempting to influence the president by spending money at Trump hotels.
Analysis: The President’s Hotel Donation Ruse
The Trump Organization’s response to the problem of foreign governments trying to curry favor with the president by spending money at Trump hotels is an empty gesture. Last week, a remarkable ethics episode briefly percolated to the top of the boiling cauldron known as the Trump administration news cycle. The Trump family appeared to acknowledge the public’s concern that foreign governments are attempting to influence the president by spending money at Trump hotels.
Analysis: The President’s Hotel Donation Ruse
Last week, a remarkable ethics episode briefly percolated to the top of the boiling cauldron known as the Trump administration news cycle. The Trump family appeared to acknowledge the public’s concern that foreign governments are attempting to influence the president by spending money at Trump hotels. Sadly, the response—a cynical, half-hearted gesture—merely reminded us that the Trumps do not take the Constitution seriously.
The worst job in Washington? Counsel to President Trump.
Michael Flynn’s implosion as National Security Advisor followed news that, in late January, former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates told White House counsel Donald McGahn that Flynn misled Vice President Mike Pence Mike (Michael) Richard PenceClinton receives standing ovation from Broadway audience Trump calls for Venezuela to release political prisoner 'immediately' Trump failed his own test on good judgment MORE about the extent and content of Flynn’s communications with the Russian...
Exploiting Public Office for Private Gain
At no time in the modern era has the nation’s chief executive appeared not only willing, but eager to exploit the nation’s highest office for the benefit of his personal, family, and business wealth. Conflicts of interest—the divided loyalties associated with serving two masters—might seem vague to some, but the problem is real. The details of President Trump’s business arrangements matter.
Trump's business plan puts government credibility at risk
After the President-elect’s disappointing and rambunctious press conference, government ethics experts and the broader compliance community rejected, as woefully inadequate, Donald Trump Donald TrumpTrump on Dems boycotting inauguration: 'I hope they give me their tickets' DeVos vows to be advocate for 'great' public schools Trump: 'I don’t like tweeting’ MORE’s legal strategy to mitigate his conflicts of interest.
GSA's Trump Hotel Lease Debacle
As the clock ticks down towards President-elect Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration, the window is rapidly closing on the General Services Administration’s opportunity to extricate itself from the Trump Organization’s lease of the historic Post Office Pavilion. The lease—in which Donald Trump would, in effect, be both landlord and tenant—now presents unprecedented and intolerable conflicts of interest.
GSA's Trump Hotel Lease Debacle
As the clock ticks down towards President-elect Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration, the window is rapidly closing on the General Services Administration’s opportunity to extricate itself from the Trump Organization’s lease of the historic Post Office Pavilion. The lease—in which Donald Trump would, in effect, be both landlord and tenant—now presents unprecedented and intolerable conflicts of interest.
Trump leases his D.C. hotel from a government agency he’ll soon be in charge of
In 2013, the General Services Administration leased Washington’s historic Post Office Pavilion to the Trump Organization for $180 million. Before his inauguration on Jan. 20, the GSA must terminate the Organization’s lease. The 60-year deal presents unprecedented and intolerable conflicts of interest. Swift action by GSA is necessary to protect the integrity of the federal government contracting process. The federal procurement system has a 200-year record of transparency and integrity.
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