๐๏ธ๐ฃ๐น๐ค Schiff Takes To Senate Floor to Lay Out Trumpโs 10 Most Corrupt Acts So Far
๐ค AI Summary
This video ๐น features Senator Adam Schiff discussing what he describes as the the โ10 best deals ๐ for Donald Trump and the worst deals ๐ for the American peopleโ during the first 114 days of a new Trump administration [01:43]. He argues that while Trump promised ๐ค to help Americans, his actions have instead benefited his family ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ and wealthy ๐ฐ associates [00:06, 01:37].
Hereโs a summary ๐ of the deals highlighted:
- ๐ Tesla Showroom at the White House: Trumpโs interaction with Elon Musk ๐ at the White House ๐๏ธ, featuring Tesla vehicles ๐ [02:20], preceded a large political donation ๐ธ from Musk to Trumpโs political operation [03:30, 03:39].
- โณ Golfing at Mar-a-Lago: Trumpโs frequent golf trips ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ to his own courses, allegedly costing taxpayers ๐งโ taxpayers millions ๐ฐ [04:23, 06:09], with the government ๐๏ธ paying his properties ๐จ for services [06:29].
- ๐ฌ Melaniaโs Documentary: Amazon ๐ฆ is reportedly paying the Trump family ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ $40 million ๐ต to license a documentary ๐๏ธ about Melania Trump [07:23, 07:42]. There are also alleged attempts ๐คซ to secure sponsorships ๐ค for the film [08:11].
- ๐ฆ Don Jr.โs Hunting Show: Schiff mentions reports ๐ฐ of pitching a hunting show ๐น starring Don Jr. to Hollywood ๐ฌ [08:30, 08:35].
- ๐๏ธ The Executive Branch Club: The Trump family ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ is opening a private club ๐ in Washington D.C. with a $500,000 ๐ฐ membership fee, described as a place for insiders ๐ฅ to pay homage ๐ to the president [09:02, 09:32].
- ๐จ Trump Hotel in Dubai: The development ๐๏ธ of a new Trump International Hotel ๐จ and Tower ๐ผ in Dubai ๐ฆ๐ช, featuring luxury residences ๐๏ธ and an exclusive club ๐ [10:16, 11:11].
- โณ Trump Golf Course in Qatar: A $5.5 billion ๐ฐ deal ๐ค to build a Trump-branded golf course โณ and villas ๐๏ธ in Qatar ๐ถ๐ฆ, potentially netting ๐ฃ the Trump family ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ hundreds of millions ๐ธ, in partnership with a Qatari government-owned ๐๏ธ company [11:37, 12:03].
- ๐ธ๐ฆ Trump Projects in Saudi Arabia: New Trump Tower ๐ข in Jeddah and two new projects ๐๏ธ in Riyadh, expected to generate millions ๐ธ for the Trump family ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ [13:23, 13:44]. Schiff also mentions a previous $2 billion ๐ฐ investment ๐ธ from the Saudi crown prince ๐ to Jared Kushnerโs firm [13:51, 13:57].
- ๐ฐ๏ธ Elon Muskโs Starlink Deals: Allegations ๐คซ that Elon Musk ๐ used his proximity ๐ค to Trump to secure deals ๐ค with foreign nations ๐, with countries like Lesotho ๐ฑ๐ธ and India ๐ฎ๐ณ making agreements ๐ค with Starlink after or during trade negotiations ๐ฌ with the US ๐บ๐ธ [14:43, 16:34].
- โ๏ธ โSky Palaceโ from Qatar: The Qatari government ๐๏ธ is reportedly gifting ๐ Trump a $400 million ๐ธ aircraft โ๏ธ, likened to a new Air Force One ๐บ๐ธ, which taxpayers ๐งโ taxpayers will have to pay ๐ฐ to secure and retrofit ๐ ๏ธ [17:53, 18:15]. This gift ๐ is seen as a potential violation โ ๏ธ of the Constitution ๐ [20:22, 20:30].
- ๐ฐ Trumpโs Crypto Scheme: The launch ๐ of a memecoin ๐ช associated with Trump, which has reportedly made him and his family ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ billions ๐ธ through soaring value ๐ and trading fees ๐ฆ [22:03, 22:34]. This includes offering private dinners ๐ฝ๏ธ and White House tours ๐๏ธ to major holders ๐ [22:52, 23:21]. Additionally, Eric Trump and Don Jr. are reportedly involved in crypto ventures ๐, including a joint venture ๐ค in Dubai ๐ฆ๐ช backed by Abu Dhabi [23:30, 23:46].
Schiff concludes ๐ by stating that these deals ๐ค demonstrate Trumpโs focus ๐ on enriching himself and his family ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ at the expense ๐ of the American people ๐บ๐ธ [24:31, 25:31].
๐ Book Recommendations
- ๐ Conflict of Interest in American Public Life by Andrew Stark.
- ๐ Corruption and Government: Causes, Consequences, and Reform by Susan Rose-Ackerman.
- ๐ Ethics, Government, and Public Policy: A Reference Guide by James S. Bowman.
๐ On Presidential Conflicts of Interest and Ethics
- ๐ โWhite House Ethics: The History of the Politics of Conflict of Interest Regulationโ by Robert North Roberts: This book ๐ provides a historical overview ๐ of how conflict of interest ๐ค has been regulated in the U.S. government ๐๏ธ, tracing the development ๐ of standards-of-conduct regulations through various administrations.
- ๐ โThe Spoils of War: Greed, Power, and the Conflicts That Made Our Greatest Presidentsโ by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith: This book ๐ explores how private financial interests ๐ฐ and power ๐ช can influence even the most virtuous leaders, offering insights ๐ก into historical conflicts of interest ๐ค at the highest levels ๐ฅ of government ๐๏ธ.
- ๐ โSecret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friendsโ by Peter Schweizer: This investigative work ๐ต๏ธโโ๏ธ examines how powerful political figures and their families ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ allegedly use their positions to accumulate wealth ๐ฐ, covering various examples ๐ and revealing alleged hidden financial dealings ๐คซ.
- ๐ โEthics Trump Powerโ by Stephen Scott: While a broader look ๐ at leadership ethics, this book ๐ addresses the crucial balance โ๏ธ between power ๐ช and ethical conduct, offering a framework ๐๏ธ for understanding and promoting ethical leadership in various sectors, including government ๐๏ธ.
๐ On the Emoluments Clause
- ๐ โCorruption in America: From Benjamin Franklinโs Snuff Box to Citizenโs Unitedโ by Zephyr Teachout: This book ๐ provides a deep dive ๐คฟ into the history ๐ of corruption ๐ in America ๐บ๐ธ, including a significant discussion ๐ฌ of the Emoluments Clause ๐ and its original intent ๐ฏ, offering context ๐ for its modern application.
- ๐ โThe Emoluments Clause: Its text, meaning, and application to Donald J. Trumpโ (a paper/brief available from the Brookings Institution by Laurence H. Tribe and Richard Painter): While not a full book ๐, this detailed analysis ๐ by prominent legal scholars ๐งโ๐ specifically examines the Emoluments Clause ๐ in relation to the business dealings ๐ผ of President Donald Trump, offering a legal perspective ๐งโโ๏ธ on the alleged constitutional violations โ ๏ธ.
๐ช On Cryptocurrency and Political Influence
- ๐ โThe Politics of Bitcoin: Software as Right-Wing Extremismโ by David Golumbia: This book ๐ explores the ideological underpinnings ๐๏ธ of cryptocurrencies ๐ช, examining how concepts like individualism and anti-state sentiment, often associated with right-wing political movements, are embedded within the crypto ecosystem ๐.
- ๐ โBlockchain Radicals: How Capitalism Ruined Crypto and How to Fix Itโ by Joshua Dรกvila: This book ๐ offers a critical perspective ๐ on the intersection of capitalism ๐ฐ and cryptocurrency ๐ช, and how new tools ๐ ๏ธ can be used to challenge traditional financial systems ๐ฆ and potentially build ๐๏ธ a more equitable world ๐.