(RepublicanDaily.org) – Allegations of financial impropriety continue to dog President Joe Biden and his administration. The most notable example is the controversy surrounding his son Hunter Biden whom we heard about last year. Hunter is currently under investigation by federal authorities in relation to his financial and tax affairs. Now, whispers of corruption involving other individuals as well are tainting the administration.
Is Biden Tapping Too Many Donors for Key Positions?
On Wednesday, April 6, Fox News reported on data from the government watchdog, American Accountability Foundation (AAF). It found that President Biden is appointing more of his political donors and party colleagues to key administration positions than his predecessors did in past years.
The AAF states that six individuals who are currently waiting for confirmation to embassy positions following nominations by the president have donated a combined $13 million to Democratic political causes. As AAF founder Tom Jones noted to Fox, this is particularly worrying in the context of Biden’s campaign promises to separate money from power. Jones insisted that well-paid and influential ambassador positions should not be put up for sale.
On the campaign trail, Biden said he would appoint people to important positions on the basis of their abilities and professional history, not their donations. However, he did say he would not rule out appointing anyone just because they were a donor.
Is It Just Biden?
Both parties criticize the practice of appointing donors and party insiders to influential positions. However, presidents from both parties have done it.
Former President Donald Trump, for example, selected Woody Johnson as his ambassador to the United Kingdom. Johnson raised money for Trump when he was running for office and also donated his own money for the former president’s inauguration.
In 2011, Politico ran a story about individuals former President Barack Obama nominated to key positions who had previously helped his campaign efforts. Donald Gips, a wealthy communications executive, reportedly donated a total of over $500,000 to Obama’s campaign when he was running for the White House. Obama then selected Gips to take charge of White House hiring, and the executive was responsible for putting a number of allies in important positions. Gips later became the ambassador to South Africa under the Obama administration.
Is this just a normal occurrence in Washington, DC, something we must learn to accept? Or does it pose a threat of major conflicts of interest involving the president and senior government officials?
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