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Sarbanes Blasts Trump Administration for Withholding Lobbyist ‘Secret Waivers’ to the Administration’s Own Ethics Pledge

May 22, 2017

White House Continues to Break its Promise to “Drain the Swamp”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recent news reports indicate the Trump Administration is refusing the Office of Government Ethics' request for Federal Agencies to disclose ‘secret ethics waivers' granted to lobbyists-turned-Trump Administration employees.

"After campaigning on the promise to ‘drain the swamp,' President Trump quickly moved to stock his cabinet with corporate lobbyists," said Rep. John Sarbanes, Chair of the Democracy Reform Task Force. "But in order to get around his own Executive Order, President Trump was forced to issue a bevy of ‘secret waivers' from his already ineffectual ethics pledge."

"Now comes news that President Trump is refusing to disclose these ‘secret ethics waivers,' hiding from the American public the extent to which corporate lobbyists are calling the shots behind the scenes in his Administration. This must not stand."

"As Chair of the Democracy Reform Task Force, I was proud to join Ranking Member Cummings and my fellow Oversight Democrats in sending a letter to the Office of Government Ethics' Director Walter Schaub, applauding his efforts to demand accountability. But Democrats can't conduct effective oversight alone – our Republican colleagues must stand up and demand greater accountability from President Trump and his Administration."

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