Summary

Donald Trump faces criticism for refusing to sign agreements under the Presidential Transition Act, which mandates funding limits and donor disclosure for a smooth power transfer.

By not signing, Trump avoids donor limits and disclosure rules, enabling secret contributions, including foreign ones, which raise concerns about financial corruption.

Critics, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, warn this undermines transparency and governance, as FBI background checks on nominees are delayed.

The White House confirmed the agreements remain unsigned, with Trump relying on private donors instead of federal funds.

  • KoboldCoterie@pawb.social
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    123
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    4 days ago

    The fact that this is optional at all is just fucking wild. So much of our government has apparently been operating on a simple gentleman’s agreement and it’s only stood up because nobody challenged it until now. We’re so absolutely fucked.

    • TheDemonBuer@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      44
      ·
      4 days ago

      So much of our government has apparently been operating on a simple gentleman’s agreement and it’s only stood up because nobody challenged it until now.

      Politicians have been challenging it from the beginning, it’s just most of them had the good sense not to do it so overtly. Trump doesn’t worry so much about that because he’s successfully convinced a large segment of Americans that up is down, black is white, and that he is the messiah.

      • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        53
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        4 days ago

        If there’s no consequences of not doing it, it’s effectively optional. Just like pretty much all other laws and regulations designed to keep politicians acting in good faith and/or held accountable by the public from stepping over the lines…

        • Nollij@sopuli.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          30
          ·
          4 days ago

          Related, “If the penalty for a crime is a fine, then that law only exists for the lower class”

          There would need to be real penalties, with enforcement. Turns out we have neither.

          • just_another_person@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            13
            ·
            4 days ago

            The penalty is not having funds released, and in place organizations and workers not being able to interface with the transition team. These shitheads do not care anyway though, because the goal is to ransack the country.

    • Serinus@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      9
      ·
      4 days ago

      In the end, democratic government requires some amount of good faith. You can harden it a little, but there’s only so much you can do.

      The problem is that we have elected someone with so little regard for laws and people.

  • Absaroka@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    64
    ·
    4 days ago

    Financial corruption is the entire point.

    You have to assume at this point everything is able to be bought, from cabinet positions to getting your nephew a job in whatever agency you’d like.

  • macarthur_park@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    38
    ·
    4 days ago

    “Masked man with a gun ordering the teller to put the money in the bag faces criticism for risking a bank robbery.”

  • snekerpimp@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    25
    ·
    4 days ago

    Only thing he knows is corruption. There’s no “risk” of it, it’s being done out in the open, and has been done for almost a decade.

    • lemmy_outta_here@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      4 days ago

      Pretty sure corruption was a literal campaign promise. “Vote for me and I will put my chief donor in charge of ruining your stupid lives” turned out to be a compelling message

  • medgremlin@midwest.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    18
    ·
    4 days ago

    “Concerns about financial corruption”?

    Really? There’s no “concern” here for anyone with 2 brain cells to boop together. It’s a known, reliable fact, not a “concern”.

    • BranBucket@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      3 days ago

      It’s a feature, not a bug. Part of the plan all along. If it weren’t for the charges getting dropped, I’d say it’s the whole plan.

  • inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    4 days ago

    And?

    It’s not like the motherfucker hid any of his intentions here and not like he didn’t do the same things during his first term.

    Nice of the lame stream media to finally take notice and publish stories about his blatant plans for corruption now though. /S

  • Red_October@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    4 days ago

    Pretty sure he doesn’t give a fuck, won’t bother trying to hide it, and will send the MAGAstapo after anyone who tries to prosecute.