The arrangement has worried ethics experts, especially because the advisers may sidestep conflict-of-interest rules.
By Josh Dawsey and Isaac Arnsdorf
Rudy Giuliani, one of Donald Trump's top political surrogates and a
millionaire, is running point on the president-elect's cybersecurity
policies. Carl Icahn, a billionaire friend in New York, is charged with
cutting regulations. And, now, Richard LeFrak and Steven Roth, two of
his top real-estate friends, are special advisers to build a $1 trillion
infrastructure plan.
Trump has amassed a Cabinet of unheard-of wealth, filled with
business executives and CEOs. But he has also quietly appointed a number
of his richest friends and allies to unpaid jobs of importance, where
their responsibilities are blurry but their power could prove immense.
They will help set the administration's policies while also remaining in
the private sector, where they could financially benefit from such
policies through their own personal business interests.
LeFrak, however, said Trump is simply driven by a desire to tap people with proven track records.
"Without calling into question everyone's qualifications, he knows
Mr. Roth and I know how to get things done," LeFrak said in an
interview. "Maybe not in Washington. But in general. I think he just
wants people who know how to get things done."
The arrangement has worried his critics, ethics experts and, privately,
some Republicans. It remains unclear how these advisers will interact
with his Cabinet members in charge of these areas, and whether they will
listen to anyone except for Trump or communicate with Cabinet members
traditionally in charge of such topics. They are not subject to the
federal conflict-of-interest rules and other stringent ethics
regulations that apply to members of the administration.
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Source: Politico (via The Empire Report)
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