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“Do Campaign Ethics Still Matter in the Age of Donald Trump? (The Conversation)
BY THOMAS KLASSEN AND MATTHEW CERILLI
Donald Trump under fire for sharing a social media post featuring a misogynist and offensive slur against Vice President Kamala Harris.
“This latest Trump smear takes place as public trust in government is declining in both Canada and the United States. Justin Trudeau is the first prime minister to violate federal ethics legislation. Trump is the first former American president convicted of criminal charges…
Campaign ethics involve political campaigns adhering to the principles of honesty, integrity and transparency, and assisting the electorate in making informed decisions. Unethical campaigning undermines public trust, fosters confusion, sows division, amplifies cynicism and leads to negative sentiments about government.There are four practices candidates can implement to ensure they conduct an ethical campaign: avoid mudslinging, prioritize truth, clarity over confusion, and transparent campaign financing.”
Trump Reposts Crude Sexual Remark About Harris on Truth Social (The New York Times)
BY MICHAEL GOLD
Though the former president has a history of making crass insults about opponents, the reposts signal his willingness to continue to shatter longstanding political norms.
Mr. Trump’s repost was the second time in 10 days that the former president shared content from his personal account making sexually oriented attacks on Ms. Harris. Though he has a history of making crass insults about his opponents, the reposts signal Mr. Trump’s willingness to continue to shatter longstanding norms of political speech…
Throughout his political career, Mr. Trump has made a habit of sharing others’ divisive or offensive social media posts, then dismissing criticism by arguing he was simply reposting.
Crypto is the new Trump family business. Ethics watchdogs have concerns. (Politico)
BY JASPER GOODMAN
Former President Donald Trump’s pledge to turn the U.S. into the “crypto capital of the planet” and implement industry-friendly policies could have a new beneficiary: his own family.
“To promise crypto-friendly policies and have your family engage in the same business is, I think, conflict of interest 101,” said Ishan Mehta, director for media and democracy at Common Cause, a nonprofit that advocates for government transparency.
Crypto is the latest ethics concern to arise around the Trump family’s businesses, which drew intense scrutiny during his first administration after he opted not to divest his holdings in them. In addition to crypto, Trump is also facing new questions about what he would do with his stake in the parent company of the social media service Truth Social.”
Retired federal judge and ethics experts want Judge Cannon taken off Trump documents case (CNN)
BY TIERNEY SNEED
A former federal judge along with a government watchdog group and two top scholars on judicial ethics want an appeals court to reassign the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump to a new judge.
“The group is seeking to file an amicus brief with the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals, criticizing the way Judge Aileen Cannon, who dismissed the classified documents prosecution earlier this summer, has handled the criminal case.
They also took issue with Cannon allowing Trump to slow down the federal investigation in 2022 by appointing a special master to review evidence and blocking investigators’ access to documents seized at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The 11th Circuit reversed Cannon’s decisions on this matter.”
Trump Allies Hit With Ethics Complaint for Pushing Election Conspiracy (The New Republic)
BY EDITH OLMSTED
Donald Trump’s allies in Georgia wanted to help him block the election results in November.
“The former chair of the Fulton County Board of Elections filed an ethics complaint Friday against three of the Georgia State Election Board’s members, accusing them of breaking the law in their efforts to help Donald Trump disrupt the presidential election.
In the complaint addressed to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, former Chair Cathy Woolard alleged that board members Rick Jeffares, Janice Johnston, and Janelle King had violated the ethics code by failing to follow state law and violating the public’s trust. Through their efforts to make significant changes to the rules governing Georgia’s elections, they had “at minimum created the appearance that their actions are intended to further their own political preferences,” Woodlard wrote.”
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