We’re coming up on two years of the Trump Administration, and it’s really been sort of amazing looking at him and his Cabinet & other high level picks. It’s a bit like looking at the Night Of The Living Dead. I mean, just to pick out a few:
- EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned in perhaps one of the most sycophantic displays[1] this nation has ever seen. Of course, he may have been jonesing for a pardon, as he finally left after nearly 20 investigations had been opened into his behavior during his tenure. His basic goal during that time was to
enrich his familyneuter the agency to profit the industries he’d previously worked for, although he wasn’t above pushing and shoving for the Attorney General job, which turned out to be one of those grapes that wasn’t low-hanging. - Sharing the neutering theme is Department of Education Secrectary DeVos, still in her position, whose various proposals have been horror shows of protecting the education industry (and, by that, I do not mean public universities, but for-profit institutes) at the expense of defrauded students. Her displays of ignorance – deliciously ironic – concerning her field have evoked waves of laughter which only fade when people realize the implications.
- Mick Mulvaney, holding duel titles of head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which he is reining in the belief that corporations that don’t actually bankrupt their customers through wrong-doing have done nothing wrong, and head of the Office of Management and Budget, outright admitted a few months ago that he only talked with those who donated sizable sums to his campaign when he was a Representative. That is, bribes will get you everywhere with this fellow.
- Ryan Zinke, head of the Department of the Interior, was seen as a prime competitor to Pruitt in terms of the number of open investigations into such things as his travel arrangements, familiar interactions with companies which are regulated by his agency, and he added in some personal oddness in that he has the DoI secretarial flag flown whenever he’s at DoI HQ. Doesn’t seem odd? No one in Washington can remember anyone ever doing this.
- Compared to the above, disgraced former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price seems like a fucking angel, and I’m not even jesting. I mean, he resigned over an uproar over spending a bit too much on travel expenses. In a normal Administration he would have been kicked out as well – but he’d have been considered the worst apple in the barrel. Right now I’m wondering why he left.
- And, of course, there’s President Trump himself. Setting aside tangible alleged corruption which may yet result in criminal charges or impeachment, the most important corruption for which the President is undeniably responsible is the corruption to the atmosphere of this country, stoking the divisions which have attempted to repair over generations, and chipping out new ones, such as the despicable fake news meme.
But someone whose name doesn’t come up often – yet – is Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. But that may be changing, given the content of this Forbes article. Let’s stop for a moment and consider the source. Forbes isn’t some lefty-rag trafficking in semi-fictional rumors. Forbes is the essence of capitalism, of enterprise and making money. So when Forbes publishes an article like this one, it’s worth sitting up and taking notice.
A multimillion-dollar lawsuit has been quietly making its way through the New York State court system over the last three years, pitting a private equity manager named David Storper against his former boss: Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. The pair worked side by side for more than a decade, eventually at the firm, WL Ross & Co.—where, Storper later alleged, Ross stole his interests in a private equity fund, transferred them to himself, then tried to cover it up with bogus paperwork. Two weeks ago, just before the start of a trial with $4 million on the line, Ross and Storper agreed to a confidential settlement, whose existence has never been reported and whose terms remain secret.
It is difficult to imagine the possibility that a man like Ross, who Forbes estimates is worth some $700 million, might steal a few million from one of his business partners. Unless you have heard enough stories about Ross. Two former WL Ross colleagues remember the commerce secretary taking handfuls of Sweet’N Low packets from a nearby restaurant, so he didn’t have to go out and buy some for himself. One says workers at his house in the Hamptons used to call the office, claiming Ross had not paid them for their work. Another two people said Ross once pledged $1 million to a charity, then never paid. A commerce official called the tales “petty nonsense,” and added that Ross does not put sweetener in his coffee.
There are bigger allegations. Over several months, in speaking with 21 people who know Ross, Forbes uncovered a pattern: Many of those who worked directly with him claim that Ross wrongly siphoned or outright stole a few million here and a few million there, huge amounts for most but not necessarily for the commerce secretary. At least if you consider them individually. But all told, these allegations—which sparked lawsuits, reimbursements and an SEC fine—come to more than $120 million. If even half of the accusations are legitimate, the current United States secretary of commerce could rank among the biggest grifters in American history.
It’s quite the article. It’s the story of the disgraceful grasping after money which seems to characterize so many of Trump’s associates, supporters (see Representative Collins), and picks for high positions in his Administration. It’s as if honor doesn’t exist for them. As if they don’t even understand that capitalism is not about making money any which way you can, but by providing valuable services to customers.
And perhaps Ross will become the next scandal that deflects attention from the master of the circus.
1Not that I’d expect him to write a burn-the-bridges letter, but this one is a bit over the top. Here’s the opening paragraph:
It has been an honor to serve you in the Cabinet as Administrator of the EPA. Truly, your confidence in me has blessed me personally and enabled me to advance your agenda beyond what anyone anticipated at the beginning of your Administration. Your courage, steadfastness and resolute commitment to get results for the American people, both with regard to improved environmental outcomes as well as historical regulatory reform, is in fact occurring at an unprecedented pace and I thank you for the opportunity to serve you and the American people in helping achieve those ends.
