Donald Trump didn’t drain the swamp. He is profiting off of the swamp, as a new investigation reveals that dozens of government contractors and lobbyists have memberships at Trump’s golf clubs.
USA Today investigated who is buying memberships at Trump’s courses and found:
Members of the clubs Trump has visited most often as president — in Florida, New Jersey and Virginia — include at least 50 executives whose companies hold federal contracts and 21 lobbyists and trade group, officials. Two-thirds played on one of the 58 days the president was there, according to scores they posted online.
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The review shows that, for the first time in U.S. history, wealthy people with interests before the government have a chance for close and confidential access to the president as a result of payments that enrich him personally. It is a view of the president available to few other Americans.
Trump has turned selling access to the president into a personal enrichment scheme. Trump is trading cash in his own pocket for access. The corruption could not be more clear. The special interests are buying direct contact with Trump.
Donald Trump promised to drain the swamp, but what he has done is branded the swamp with Trump name and lined his own pockets. Whether or not this behavior is illegal is debatable. If Trump is taking money from a foreign government, it will be a violation of the Emoluments Clause. What is clear without a doubt is that the conflicts of interest and brazen graft of the Trump presidency add to the case for impeachment.
Using the presidency for personal profit could be viewed as a high crime against the country.
The case is building, and if Democrats ever get control of the House, it won’t be if Trump gets impeached, but when.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
