• Editor’s note: President Trump promised to “drain the swamp” of government personnel in what he called the “Deep State.”
• “The Swamp” was comprised of insiders involved in corruption and foreign influence working with power-brokers/money-changers to control America.
• Yet, “Once he was in the White House, Trump didn’t merely fail to end Washington’s insider culture of lobbying and favor-seeking. He reinvented it,” quoting The New York Times: “7 Key Findings About Trump’s Reinvented Swamp“
• And, the following list below demonstrates how Trump reinvented the “swamp” excerpted from Bloomberg News [March 14, 2019]: Trump Team’s Conflicts and Scandals: An Interactive Guide

[Thanks and appreciation to Shelley Lucas for collating this list.]

THE TRUMP FAMILY

Ivanka Trump — Acquired 12 lucrative Chinese patents, with fast-tracked approval, while serving as top WH advisor. Named as defendant in lawsuit against Trump Foundation, and banned from serving on a board for any charity for 5 years.
Donald Jr. — Actively sought Russian assistance in election campaign. Named as defendant in lawsuit against Trump Foundation, and banned from serving on a board for any charity for 5 years. A recent federal court filing suggests the Trump Organization he leads is under investigation for ‘insurance and bank fraud.’
Eric Trump — Eric Trump Foundation charity investigated for making payments to Trump businesses. Named as defendant in lawsuit against Trump Foundation, and banned from serving on a board for any charity for 5 years. A recent federal court filing suggests the Trump Organization he leads is under investigation for ‘insurance and bank fraud.’
Jared Kushner — Sought to create a direct ‘back channel’ with Russia for an unknown reason. Had to file more than 40 updates to disclosures for security clearance. Personally conducted Kushner Co. business with Japan at White House. Kushner Co. directly solicited Qatari government funding for troubled 666 5th Ave. (NYC) property, and was declined 1 month prior to Qatar Blockade. Was ultimately bailed out of said property by a Canadian company that is (inadvertently) heavily invested in by Qatar. Kushner Real Estate currently engages in aggressive and questionable eviction practices and litigation to push tenants out of rent-controlled apartments, even during the pandemic.  See ‘Dirty Money’ Season 2, Episode 3 — https://g.co/kgs/myGjH1

TRUMP UNIVERSITY — Settled student fraud lawsuit for $25M

TRUMP FOUNDATION — Trump used foundation to pay personal debts, make political donations, and boost his election campaign. Charity was ordered to close, all assets distributed to charities, and defendants ordered to not oversee any other charity for 5 years. Criminal charges could also be forthcoming from a further investigation by NY tax authority.

TRUMP ORGANIZATION — Currently under investigation for Bank Fraud (and any number of other illegalities), and participation in hush payments to porn star and playboy playmate. A recent federal court filing suggests the Trump Organization is under investigation for ‘insurance and bank fraud.’

TRUMP ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2016

Steve Bannon, Campaign Manager #3 — Recently indicted and arrested for border wall fraud conspiracy.
Paul Manafort, Campaign Manager #2 — convicted felon, 7.5 year prison sentence currently suspended due to COVID-19.
Rick Gates, Deputy Campaign Manager — convicted felon, 45 day prison sentence (suspended).
Gen. Michael Flynn, Campaign Surrogate and National Security Advisor — convicted felon, pleaded guilty twice, sentencing still pending after next court date.
Roger Stone, Campaign Advisor — convicted felon, 40 month prison sentence (commuted by Trump).
Michael Cohen, Personal Lawyer/Fixer — convicted felon, 3 year prison sentence currently suspended due to COVID-19. New book Disloyal on The New York Times bestseller list.
George Papadopoulos, Foreign Policy Advisor — convicted felon, served 14-day prison sentence.

TRUMP INAUGURAL COMMITTEE

+ Paid extremely inflated prices to Trump Hotel for event spaces… under the direction of Ivanka Trump
+ Did not claim a number of expensive ‘in kind’ donations, such as event space at Union Station and wine served at events.

Elliot Broidy, Vice Chair of Donald Trump’s Inaugural Committee, former Republican National Committee deputy finance chairman, and former top fundraiser for the Trump campaign — Recently indicted in a foreign lobbying scheme for conspiring to serve as an unregistered foreign agent to defraud the United States.

Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Event Planner — $26M (25% of the $106M raised) was paid to the company she created 6 weeks prior to Inauguration, the single largest vendor to the event. Was made to be the ‘fall guy’ for any appearance of impropriety by the Inaugural Committee. Currently being sued by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly breaking a nondisclosure agreement in publishing the book.

TRUMP CABINET

Louie DeJoy, US Postmaster General — Is literally dismantling the USPS in the middle of a pandemic and preceding a General Election for no discernable reason (except to disrupt the vote? Destroy USPS business so it can become private?). Congress is also calling for an investigation into his investments that are conflict of interest, and his divestment of large amounts of Amazon shares, and purchase of stock options that allow him to buy new shares at much lower rate than current price.

Tom Price, Former HHS Secretary — resigned after exposure of $341,000 taxpayer-paid private and military jet expenses. 

Ryan Zinke, Former Interior Secretary — resigned amid a myriad of investigations involving a land deal with Haliburton Co., use of private jet (at taxpayer expense) for personal trips, and threatening Alaska Republican senators re: votes on health care

Scott Pruitt, Former EPA Administrator — resigned amid more than 12 investigations including taxpayer-funded travel, round-the-lock security, inappropriate expenses, use of aides for personal errands, and using his office to pursue a Chik-fil-A franchise for his wife. An estimated $4.5M in inappropriate taxpayer paid expenses.

Ben Carson, HUD Secretary — hired his son as event organizer, canceled $31,000 dining set purchase for his office after media attention.

Steven Mnuchin, Treasury Secretary — initially did not provide standard of proof for use of military aircraft for 8 trips, costing almost $1M, including a trip with his wife to Ft. Knox. (apparently was approved later). Mnuchin’s “deal” to lift sanctions on Rusal was not as ’substantial’ as purported.

Wilbur Ross, Commerce Secretary — sold $50M worth of Invesco shares, 8 mos. after he promised to, earning an increased value of 14.1 percent.

Betsy DeVoss, Education Secretary — awarded contract worth up to $400M to debt collection company she had divested from just prior to cabinet post.

Elaine Chao, Transportation Secreatry, wife of Senate Majority Leader McConnell, alleged to have favored Kentuckians in meeting with officials seeking grants, meeting with them more than any other state’s representatives. Russian aluminum company owned by Oleg Deripaska who put a mill in Kentucky shortly after MCConnell’s former staffers lobbied to have sanctions lifted.

Brock Long, Former FEMA Administrator — investigated for using government vehicles and personnel to commute between WaDC and his home in North Carolina.

Carl Icahn, Former ‘Unpaid’ Special Advisor — was appointed to advise on regulatory reform. One regulation in particular, dealing with ethanol credits, for which his company received a ’special waiver’ — saved his company hundreds of millions of dollars.

TRUMP ‘REINVENTED THE SWAMP’ AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE

USA Today: Fact check: President Donald Trump donates his salary, but he still makes money [Ed. note: Trump visits to his own resorts equate to taxpayer-funded revenues for his properties.]

Vanity Fair: Trump’s “Very Inexpensive” Golf Habit Could Cost More Than $340 Million

Golf New Net: Donald Trump visited the golf course for the 293rd time as President [as of Sept. 27, 2020, an we foot the bill!]

FOX News: Trump’s Bedminster golf club charged taxpayers $1.1M for Secret Service even while closed during pandemic: report

The American Independent: Hunting, golf, and MAGA rallies: 12 times Trump made taxpayers foot the bill for him

The Washington Post: Trump has shredded norms. Here’s an exhaustive — and still partial — list. A guide to what the next president will have to unwind

MSNBC: New York Times’ Trump taxes bombshell reveals massive national security threat by Frank Figliuzzi.

The New York Times: A Regulatory Rush by Federal Agencies to Secure Trump’s Legacy

USA TODAY: A tabloid got a trove of data on Hunter Biden from Rudy Giuliani. Now, the FBI is probing a possible disinformation campaign – “‘It is also an old Cold War disinformation tactic to pass information, especially but not exclusively when forged, to low-brow newspapers that have high circulation and low standards of investigation. Ideal for surfacing and amplification,’ Thomas Rid, a political scientist who focuses on disinformation and information warfare at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, said in a tweet.”

Washington Post [Ed. note: A good reminder that was originally published August 1, 2017]: Acting DEA administrator says Trump “condoned police misconduct” in remarks about handling suspects

The Lincoln Project video: “Swamp“

Next week: Part III: 4 years of Trump’s accomplishments in hindsight – Trump’s election interference