11/1/18  //  Uncategorized

On this week's episode of Versus Trump, Jason and Charlie talk about a new lawsuit alleging that Trump and his children were part of a racketeering enterprise that engaged in fraud in connection with their supposed endorsement of a multi-level marketing operation. Listen now!

8/22/18  //  Commentary

In the coming weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether to grant Lacaze v. Louisiana, a case raising profound questions for the constitutional standards governing judicial recusal where a judge has --but does not even disclose--concrete connections to the case being tried before him.

7/19/18  //  In-Depth Analysis

On this week's episode of Versus Trump, Jason and Charlie discuss the New York Attorney General's petition to dissolve the Trump Foundation and ban President Trump and his children from serving as directors of charities in the future. They then do some a hit on the new Mueller indictment. Listen now!

3/14/18  //  Commentary

The right thing to do would be for President Trump to obey the Constitution, and this donation doesn’t begin to satisfy that obligation.

1/28/18  //  Daily Update

President Trump reportedly asked Andrew McCabe how he voted in the 2016 presidential election while McCabe was under consideration as James Comey's temporary replacement at the FBI.

1/14/18  //  Daily Update

12/4/17  //  Daily Update

Despite President Trump's denials, the tax bill would certainly benefit him.

11/6/17  //  Daily Update

More than half of Senate-confirmed appointees in the Trump Administration have a notable conflict of interest. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross's filings raise new questions about conflicts of interest.

10/31/17  //  Daily Update

Considerable controversy ensued over a $300 million contract to repair Puerto Rico's power grid awarded to a tiny for-profit company based in Interior Secretary Zinke's small Montana hometown.

10/24/17  //  In-Depth Analysis

President Trump and a number of his associates have established legal defense funds (LDFs) in connection with various Congressional investigations. What rules govern these LDFs?

10/5/17  //  Commentary

On this week’s episode of Versus Trump, Charlie and Jason discuss a recently-passed bill awaiting the signature of California Governor Jerry Brown that, if signed into law, would require presidential candidates to disclose five years of federal of tax returns in order to appear on the ballot in California. Jason and Charlie ask each other whether California has the constitutional power to do that, and, if so, whether it's a good idea. Listen now!

10/1/17  //  Daily Update

Controversy continued over senior administration officials' use of private aircraft at taxpayers' expense. Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch's speech at the Trump International Hotel sparked backlash.

3/24/17  //  Quick Reactions

Yesterday, the General Services Agency surprised experts by declaring that the Trump Hotel in D.C. is not in violation of its lease. But the GSA's decision itself might well violate the Domestic Emoluments Clause.

7/28/17  //  Commentary

When Trump makes claims about conflicts of interest without any reference to the applicable rules, he's just shooting squid ink.

4/14/17  //  Commentary

Education Secretary Betsy DeDos has jettisoned memos that hold student loan services accountable for past performance. That hurts everyone except her buddies in the loan servicing industry.

5/12/17  //  In-Depth Analysis

The Comey affair underscores that decisionmakers must look beyond the administration’s “official” documents to determine the administration’s motives.

6/13/17  //  In-Depth Analysis

An updated quarterly report on instances in which there are credible allegations of President Trump, his family, and his close associates exploiting their public power for private gain.

6/15/17  //  In-Depth Analysis

On a new episode of Versus Trump, Take Care's podcast, Easha, Jason, and Charlie discuss a lawsuit against the President that's been brought by a D.C. gadfly who claims that Trump did not provide sufficient detail on the financial disclosure form he submitted as a candidate. Then, Easha talks with Leah Litman about the status of the Muslim ban litigation and the role of oral advocacy in this and other high-profile cases. Listen now!

5/3/17  //  In-Depth Analysis

Tracking Corruption and Conflicts of Interest in the Trump Administration

5/15/17  //  Commentary

James Comey’s firing threatens more than just the rule-of-law norm against self-investigation. It also threatens the rule-of-law norm against politically motivated policing and prosecutions.

5/12/17  //  Commentary

Even if Trump fired Comey because Trump knows himself to be innocent of Russia-related wrongdoing, that would still be unacceptable.

6/8/17  //  Commentary

On a new episode of Versus Trump, Take Care's podcast, Easha, Jason, and Charlie discuss Congress's role and powers in investigations of the Executive. Then, Jason talks with Steven Wu, a Deputy Solicitor General in the Office of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, about the case against Trump University, the active role of states in recent years, and other issues in which New York is adverse to the President. Listen now!

5/11/17  //  Commentary

The Presumption of Regularity, Like All Presumptions, Is Rebuttable, Not Conclusive Evidence

5/17/17  //  Quick Reactions

In a welcome development, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as a special counsel to investigate Russia-related (criminal) wrongdoing.

4/23/17  //  Daily Update

President Trump and his administration continue to run into potential conflicts of interest.

8/27/17  //  Daily Update

The President’s allies are seeing lucrative benefits for their support. Meanwhile, the Secret Service has already exhausted the agency’s budget for protecting the President’s extensive circle of family and aides.

4/2/17  //  Daily Update

As Ivanka Trump expands her role in the White House, Senators call to ensure she complies with all ethics laws. President Trump's nominee to lead the FDA has reported receiving millions of dollars from large drug makers in recent years.

4/30/17  //  Daily Update

Conflicts of interest occupied the spotlight this week as watchdog groups raised concerns about Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. Former Trump campaign staffers are using their positions to attract foreign lobbying contracts.

5/14/17  //  Daily Update

Jared Kushner's sister's comments at an event in China offering visas in return for investments raised eyebrows this week. A member of Congress has requested information regarding Kellyanne Conway's business relationships.

6/25/17  //  Daily Update

The Administration's hiring of Lynne Patton, a former wedding planner for the Trump family, raises conflict of interest concerns.

4/16/17  //  Daily Update

The Government Accountability Office opened an investigation into conflicts of interests during President Trump's transition.

3/26/17  //  Daily Update

The Government Services Agency sided with Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C. on allegations that it was in violation of its lease. Meanwhile, President Trump's nominees and advisors face conflicts criticism of their own.

5/7/17  //  Daily Update

Jared Kushner has current business ties with Goldman Sachs, George Soros, and Peter Thiel.

10/8/17  //  Daily Update

Reports revealed that a political donation to the New York District Attorney may have thwarted a 2012 felony fraud indictment against Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump, Jr. Controversy continued to rage over administration officials' use of private and military aircraft.

7/16/17  //  Daily Update

The Trump Administration had a strained relationship with Walter Shaub, former head of the Office of Government Ethics. This is unsurprising given the President's and other administration officials' investments.

7/23/17  //  Daily Update

The former director of the Office of Government Ethics called for significant ethics reforms. Bank regulators are reviewing loans President Trump received from Deutsche Bank.

6/4/17  //  Daily Update

Jared Kushner's company used a federal loan program intended to subsidize low-income housing to build a luxury residential building, and the Administration released its ethics waivers online.

6/11/17  //  Daily Update

The Office of Government Ethics plans to investigate the waivers granted to lobbyists and industry officials to enable them to work at the Trump White House.

8/20/17  //  Daily Update

The Trump Organization may have rescinded the President's "no new deals" pledge.

7/9/17  //  Daily Update

The Director of the Office of Government Ethics resigned this week. The Trump Organization renewed domain names for prospective Russian business ventures.

4/9/17  //  Daily Update

President Trump's financial disclosure forms have garnered a lot of criticism. Jared Kushner's role in the White House and his relationship with Chinese officials has also been the subject of scrutiny.

6/18/17  //  Daily Update

Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating Jared Kushner. The latest episode of Versus Trump podcast discusses President Trump's violations of the Ethics In Government Act.