Trump and his enablers are the swamp.
Key Findings
Key Findings
- At least 40 lobbyists who are connected to President Donald J. Trump through his campaigns, inaugural committee, presidential transition team, or his administration [hereinafter Trump-connected lobbyists] have thus far lobbied on COVID-19 issues or indicated that they have signed up clients to do so.
- Trump-connected lobbyists collectively have represented at least 150 clients on COVID matters. Trump-connected lobbyists from a single firm (Brownstein Hyatt Faber Schreck) have represented at least 45 clients on COVID issues.
- At least 14 clients represented by Trump-connected lobbyists are working on COVID vaccines, therapeutics or tests.
- Twenty-seven clients of Trump-connected lobbyists have received federal COVID aid, totaling more than $10.5 billion. This consists of $6.3 billion in grants, $4.2 billion in loans and $67 million worth of support in the form of corporate bond purchases by the Federal Reserve. These numbers are likely a gross undercount due to lagging disclosure by the Trump administration.
- The Trump-connected lobbyists include at least 20 people who worked in the administration or provided special services for the administration; 11 alumni of the Trump presidential transition team; eight members of Trump’s campaigns; six people who raise money for Trump; and three vice chairs of Trump’s scandal-ridden inaugural committee. (Some lobbyists have multiple connections.)
- Trump fundraisers lobbying on COVID issues include the national co-chairman of the Trump Victory Committee and two lobbyists who have combined to “bundle” more than $5 million for Trump and the Republican National Committee for 2020.
- Trump-connected lobbyists have given more than $1 million out of their own pockets to federal candidates this election cycle.
- At least five COVID lobbyists may have violated a Trump executive order that restricts lobbying activities by appointees who leave the administration. Public Citizen is calling for an investigation.
- The facts in this report call for short- and long-term responses to combat favoritism and potential corruption. The Trump administration should immediately disclose details of COVID-related federal spending to the fullest extent possible. Future administrations should work with Congress to codify tighter restrictions on former officials engaging in federal lobbying, increase the detail of lobbying disclosure requirement, and enact a viable form of public funding of elections.
- https://www.citizen.org/article/covid-lobbying-palooza/
