Cronyism

ProPublica Reveals Noem Fast-Tracked $11M FEMA Funds to Naples Pier After Donor Intervention

| Importance: 9/10

ProPublica exposed that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem expedited over $11 million in federal disaster funds to rebuild Naples, Florida’s tourist pier within 24 hours after major donor Dr. Sinan Gursoy texted her on behalf of the city’s mayor. After Gursoy told the mayor ‘I …

Kristi Noem Sinan Gursoy Teresa Heitmann FEMA DHS corruption pay-to-play disaster-relief cronyism fema-abuse
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Trump Approves TikTok Deal Giving Control to Allies Ellison and Murdoch, Demands Billions

| Importance: 9/10

Trump signed an executive order approving a TikTok deal that hands control to close allies Larry Ellison (Oracle), Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch (Fox Corp), and Michael Dell, with Oracle managing the algorithm and security infrastructure. The investor group—including Oracle, Silver Lake, Andreessen …

Donald Trump Larry Ellison Oracle Rupert Murdoch Lachlan Murdoch +3 more corruption conflicts-of-interest cronyism tech-regulation surveillance +1 more
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Bessent Announces $20B Argentina Bailout for Trump Ally Milei, Enriching Connected Billionaire

| Importance: 8/10

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a $20 billion rescue package for Argentina’s president Javier Milei, including currency swap agreements, direct peso purchases (only the fourth time since 1996 the U.S. bought another country’s currency), and Treasury bond purchases. The bailout …

Scott Bessent Donald Trump Javier Milei Rob Citrone Treasury Department corruption conflicts-of-interest foreign-policy cronyism financial-fraud
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Trump Demands 10% Equity Stake in Lithium Americas During $2.26B Federal Loan Renegotiation

| Importance: 8/10

The Trump administration demanded up to a 10 percent equity stake in Lithium Americas as it renegotiated terms of a $2.26 billion federal loan for the Thacker Pass mine project in Nevada—the western hemisphere’s largest planned lithium source. Two sources confirmed Trump officials sought to …

Donald Trump Lithium Americas Department of Energy General Motors conflicts-of-interest government-ownership corruption resource-extraction cronyism
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Senator Markey Alleges Energy Secretary Wright Using Position to Benefit Former Nuclear Firm Oklo

| Importance: 8/10

Senator Ed Markey sent a letter to Trump alleging that Energy Secretary Chris Wright—former Oklo Inc. board member—is using his position to benefit the nuclear technology company through DOE plans to provide plutonium and approve a $1.7 billion reprocessing plant. Markey warned the moves pose …

Chris Wright Oklo Inc. Ed Markey Department of Energy conflicts-of-interest institutional-capture regulatory-capture nuclear-industry cronyism
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Wall Street Journal: FEMA Paralyzed by Noem's Approval Requirements as Disaster Victims Wait

| Importance: 8/10

The Wall Street Journal reported FEMA is paralyzed under Secretary Kristi Noem’s requirement that any expenditure over $100,000 must pass through up to a dozen layers of review requiring her personal sign-off. Four months after a mile-wide tornado devastated St. Louis on May 16, killing five …

Kristi Noem FEMA Elon Musk DOGE fema-sabotage disaster-relief institutional-sabotage cronyism government-dysfunction
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Larry Ellison Hosts Trump Fundraiser at California Estate, Raises $7 Million

| Importance: 8/10

Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison hosted President Donald Trump at his Rancho Mirage, California estate on February 19, 2020, for a high-dollar campaign fundraiser that raised approximately $7 million for Trump’s reelection campaign. Attendees paid $100,000 for a golf outing and photo opportunity …

Larry Ellison Donald Trump Oracle Republican Party political-donations corruption conflicts-of-interest cronyism oracle
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Fisher Sand & Gravel Wins $2B Border Wall Contracts After Fox News Lobbying

| Importance: 7/10

Fisher Sand & Gravel received over $2 billion in border wall contracts after CEO Tommy Fisher appeared on Fox News over 20 times lobbying Trump directly, despite the company’s history of tax fraud and environmental violations. Senator Kevin Cramer personally lobbied Trump for Fisher at a …

Fisher Sand & Gravel Tommy Fisher Donald Trump Kevin Cramer Fox News +1 more border-wall no-bid-contracts fox-news corruption cronyism
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