The Center for Media and Democracy joined a bipartisan list of democracy reform groups and ethics experts today in a letter calling out Donald Trump’s incoming chief of staff, Reince Priebus, for threats he made against the director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) on Sunday.
Just days after OGE Director Walter Schaub called Trump’s plan for handling his business empire conflicts “wholly inadequate,” Priebus went on ABC’s “This Week” to say, “The head of the government ethics ought to be careful because that person is becoming extremely political.” Priebus then proceeded to make factually incorrect accusations against Schaub for being political and attacked his competence.
The implications were clear: Speak up for the clean government and the rule of law at your own risk.
The letter to Priebus, signed by former White House ethics lawyers for both George W. Bush and Barack Obama, states that,
Your comments were highly inappropriate and an obvious attempt to intimidate Director Shaub, who is properly doing his job. . . . Instead of threatening the OGE director, we would urge you to focus your attention on persuading President-elect Trump to eliminate the ethics and conflicts of interest problems facing him, just as former presidents have done for the past four decades.
Priebus’ statements are the latest development in a troubling war on ethics being waged by Republican leadership in Congress and the incoming Trump Administration.
You can see the full text of the Priebus letter below.
This new administration, has constantly threatened anyone that challenges their actions. Simply because Trump and the republican leadership has gotten this far without any consequences. They have disrespected all the norms and the rules of law. The disrespect for our constitution is unconscionable. What happened to “Checks and Balances”. Our institutions are agencies to protect the American people. If our agencies can be bullied into submission by the republican party. What good do they serve, especially at this time in history, when our democracy is being challenged. It’s been mind boggling to me, how this psychopath can be rewarded the highest office in the land. By committing treason and showing his loyalty to Vladimir Putin. A traitor to this country, now about to lead this country. Are we insane? At one point, I thought he was the insane one. Our agencies are either weak ,corrupt or afraid of this man! I have come to the conclusion, that this man is “ABOVE THE LAW”, when he and his cronies should be behind bars! He’s a threat to our democracy, our citizens and a serious threat to our national security! Either he will defeat the system or the system will defeat him. I have to keep HOPE, that our institutions, will do the right thing, and PROTECT its citizens from this DANGEROUS man.
P.S. As of today, our system has allowed this man, to pull off the “BIGGEST CON IN AMERICAN HISTORY”.