Scott Gottlieb, former FDA Commissioner, joined Pfizer’s board of directors on June 27, 2019, just 85 days after leaving the FDA. The move sparked significant criticism about the ‘revolving door’ between government regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical companies. Gottlieb will …
Scott GottliebElizabeth WarrenPfizer Board of DirectorsFood and Drug Administrationregulatory-capturepharmaceutical-industryrevolving-doorfdaconflict-of-interest
Inspector General report revealed Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao repeatedly
used her office and staff to benefit her family’s shipping business, Foremost Group,
which has extensive ties to China. Chao directed staff to help with father’s travel,
edit his Wikipedia page, send his …
Elaine ChaoMitch McConnellDepartment of TransportationForemost GroupJames Chaocorruptionconflict-of-interestchinashipping-industryabuse-of-office+2 more
Senate confirmed David Bernhardt as Interior Secretary despite him having the most
conflicts of interest of any Trump Cabinet nominee - 27 former clients and employers
actively lobbying the Interior Department. A former oil and gas lobbyist, Bernhardt
had so many potential conflicts he literally …
David BernhardtDonald TrumpDepartment of InteriorHalliburtonWestlands Water Districtregulatory-captureconflict-of-interestoil-and-gasinterior-departmentrevolving-door+2 more
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke resigned while under at least 18 federal investigations
for corruption, conflicts of interest, and ethics violations. Scandals included:
involvement in a Montana land deal benefiting himself and Halliburton chairman,
using wildfire funds for personal travel, chartered …
Ryan ZinkeDonald TrumpDepartment of InteriorDavid Bernhardtcorruptioninterior-departmentpublic-landsethics-violationcabinet-scandal+2 more
Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp’s office purged approximately 1.4 million voters from registration rolls between 2012-2018 using an ’exact match’ system that required perfect alignment between voter registration and DMV/Social Security records. Discrepancies as minor as a …
Brian KempStacey AbramsGeorgia Secretary of State OfficeCommon Cause GeorgiaACLU of Georgia+1 morevoter-purgesexact-matchconflict-of-interestracial-disparityvoter-registration+1 more
Chinese government approved 16 trademarks for Ivanka Trump’s fashion business in October 2018 while she served as White House senior advisor during U.S.-China trade negotiations. Approvals included rare categories like voting machines. Earlier in April 2017, China approved 3 trademarks the …
Ivanka TrumpChinese governmentChina National Intellectual Property AdministrationWhite HouseXi Jinpingemolumentschinatrademarksconflict-of-interesttrade-negotiations+1 more
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s entourage booked approximately 500 rooms at
Trump International Hotel in New York during his U.S. visit, generating significant
revenue at a time when the hotel was experiencing declining bookings. The stay
occurred just days before the October 2, 2018 murder …
Mohammed bin SalmanSaudi Arabia governmentTrump International Hotel New YorkDonald TrumpJamal Khashoggisaudi-arabiaforeign-paymentsemolumentskhashoggi-murdertrump-hotel+2 more
Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp refuses to recuse himself from overseeing the 2018 gubernatorial election despite being the Republican candidate, creating an extraordinary conflict of interest. While running against Democrat Stacey Abrams, Kemp maintains control over voter registration, ballot …
Brian KempStacey AbramsGeorgia Secretary of Stateconflict-of-interestgeorgiabrian-kempelectoral-manipulationvoter-suppression
Brookfield Asset Management, with Qatar Investment Authority as second-largest investor, paid $1.28 billion for 99-year lease on Kushner’s troubled 666 Fifth Avenue property. Deal came after Charles Kushner’s April 2017 request for Qatari financing was rejected, followed by Jared …
Jared KushnerKushner CompaniesBrookfield Asset ManagementQatar Investment AuthorityCharles Kushneremolumentsqatarforeign-influencereal-estate-bailoutconflict-of-interest+1 more
Jared Kushner’s underwater 666 Fifth Avenue property received a $1.28 billion bailout from Brookfield Property Partners, where Qatar Investment Authority held a 7-9% stake, just months after Trump reversed U.S. support for the Saudi-led Qatar blockade. The Kushners had desperately sought …
Jared KushnerQatar Investment AuthorityBrookfield Property PartnersCharles KushnerDonald Trump+1 moreforeign-influenceconflict-of-interestcorruptionmiddle-east-policyfinancial-bailout
Trump administration exempted Argentina from steel and aluminum tariffs in May 2018 while Trump Organization was seeking trademark approvals in Argentina. After securing two trademarks in November 2019, the administration abruptly reinstated tariffs on Argentina weeks later, citing dubious …
Donald TrumpTrump OrganizationArgentinatariffsconflict-of-interesttrump-organizationargentinaquid-pro-quo+1 more
T-Mobile executives spent over 95,000 at Trump International Hotel while seeking approval for their 6 billion merger with Sprint, with more than 52 overnight stays documented. The spending coincided with the merger review period when T-Mobile needed approval from Trump’s Justice Department and …
James Biden received $600,000 in loans from Americore Health, a financially distressed rural hospital operator, based on representations that his last name ‘Biden’ could ‘open doors’ and secure Middle East investments through political connections. On March 1, 2018, Americore …
James BidenJoe BidenAmericore HealthSara Bidenfamily-enrichmentconflict-of-interestfinancial-misconduct
Gorsuch sells Colorado property for up to $500,000 to Brian Duffy, CEO of Greenberg Traurig, nine days after confirmation without disclosing buyer’s identity, raising conflict concerns
Neil GorsuchBrian DuffyGreenberg Traurigjudicial-capturesupreme-courtreal-estateconflict-of-interestdisclosure-failures+1 more
Ivanka Trump received three valuable Chinese trademarks on the same day she dined with President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago during critical U.S.-China trade negotiations. Throughout Trump’s presidency, China approved 34 trademarks for Ivanka’s business, including 16 new trademarks in …
The Trump Organization received at least 3.6 million from foreign governments including China, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, and Qatar during Trump’s presidency, violating the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause. Saudi officials alone paid at least 15,000 to Trump properties. T-Mobile …
Donald TrumpTrump OrganizationSaudi ArabiaChinaT-Mobile+3 moreemoluments-clauseforeign-influenceconstitutional-violationconflict-of-interestcorruption
The Secret Service paid at least $1.4 million directly to Trump properties during his presidency, often at rates far exceeding government limits. Trump charged the Secret Service up to $1,185 per night at Mar-a-Lago, five times the government rate of $195. Eric Trump claimed they only charged …
Donald TrumpSecret ServiceTrump OrganizationEric TrumpMar-a-Lagoemoluments-clauseself-dealingcorruptionsecret-serviceconflict-of-interest
Despite campaign rhetoric opposing Wall Street, Trump appointed an unprecedented concentration of Goldman Sachs executives to key positions. Gary Cohn, who received a $285 million severance from Goldman, became National Economic Council Director. Steven Mnuchin, a 17-year Goldman partner who …
Gary CohnSteven MnuchinGoldman SachsDina PowellJay Clayton+1 moreregulatory-capturewall-streetconflict-of-interestrevolving-doorfinancial-sector
Within weeks of the 2016 election, Saudi-funded lobbyists booked about 500 nights at Trump’s Washington, D.C., hotel as part of a campaign flying U.S. veterans to lobby against JASTA (the 9/11 victims’ law). This booking was part of a broader pattern of foreign government spending at the …
Saudi Arabia governmentTrump International Hotel WashingtonQorvis/MSLGroup (Saudi lobbyists)Donald Trumpforeign-paymentsemolumentssaudi-arabiatrump-hotelconstitutional-violation+2 more
In Republic of Argentina v. NML Capital (2014), the Supreme Court held that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act does not bar post‑judgment discovery into a foreign sovereign’s assets, facilitating creditor collection efforts including by Paul Singer’s NML Capital. Justice Samuel Alito …
Samuel AlitoPaul SingerElliott ManagementRepublic of ArgentinaSupreme Courtjudicial-capturesupreme-courtconflict-of-interestpaul-singerargentina-debt+1 more
Joan Buenconsejo, who led FDA analysis of medical statistics for drug reviews including AstraZeneca products in 2012-2013, joined AstraZeneca as a director and biometrics team leader in June 2014. This transition exemplifies the systemic ‘revolving door’ problem in pharmaceutical …
Joan BuenconsejoFDAAstraZenecaCenter for Drug Evaluation and Researchregulatory-capturepharmaceutical-industryfdarevolving-doorconflict-of-interest
Hunter Biden joined the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings, receiving up to $50,000 per month while his father Vice President Joe Biden led U.S. policy on Ukraine. State Department officials raised conflict of interest concerns in 2015. Devon Archer later testified to Congress that …
Dr. Julie Gerberding, who served as CDC Director from 2002-2009, joined Merck as president of the company’s vaccine division shortly after leaving government service. This move sparked significant controversy because during her tenure at the CDC, Gerberding oversaw the agency’s …
Dr. Julie GerberdingCDCMerckGardasil vaccineregulatory-capturecdcpharmaceuticalsrevolving-doorvaccines+1 more
Justice Samuel Alito accepts private jet flight worth over $100,000 and luxury lodge stay from hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer who later has business before the court, violating disclosure requirements
Samuel AlitoPaul SingerLeonard LeoRobin Arkley IIjudicial-capturesupreme-courtundisclosed-giftsethics-violationluxury-travel+1 more
The Supreme Court issued a controversial 5-4 decision in Bush v. Gore that effectively awarded Florida’s 25 electoral votes to Republican candidate George W. Bush, ensuring his victory over Al Gore. The unsigned per curiam decision reversed a Florida Supreme Court request for a selective …
George W. BushAl GoreWilliam RehnquistSandra Day O'ConnorClarence Thomas+4 morejudicial-capturesupreme-courtcorporate-influenceelection-interferenceconflict-of-interest+1 more
Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris certifies George W. Bush as winner by 537 votes while simultaneously serving as co-chair of Bush’s Florida campaign, creating an unprecedented conflict of interest in American electoral administration. Harris rushed the certification process to …
Katherine HarrisGeorge W BushJeb BushMac StipanovichFlorida Republican Partykatherine-harrisconflict-of-interestelection-certificationflorida-secretary-of-statepartisan-administration+1 more
Silverado Savings and Loan collapses with losses exceeding $1 billion to taxpayers, exposing serious conflicts of interest involving Neil Bush, son of Vice President-elect George H.W. Bush. Neil Bush served on Silverado’s board of directors from 1985-1988, during which he approved over $130 …
Neil BushGeorge H.W. BushSilverado Savings and LoanFederal Deposit Insurance CorporationGood International+1 moreneil-bushsilverados&l-crisisconflict-of-interestfraud+1 more
A federal jury convicts EPA official Rita Lavelle of perjury for lying to Congress about her handling of the $1.6 billion Superfund toxic waste cleanup program. Lavelle, who headed the Superfund division, is found guilty on four of five felony counts for false testimony regarding her knowledge that …
Rita LavelleEnvironmental Protection AgencyAerojet-General CorporationRonald ReaganCongressepaperjurysuperfundconflict-of-interestregulatory-capture+1 more