Bags of cash - more US corruption
Again, anti-corruption norms are being blown apart. The New York Times has reported on the case which had been dismissed by the US Department of Justice relating to potential bribery and other crimes by Tom Homan, the US border czar. Mr. Homan’s was caught by undercover agents, who recorded on audiotape, after he apparently took money and agreed to help the agent, who posed as businessmen, to secure future government contracts related to border security. “The episode raises questions about whether the administration has sought to shield one of its own officials from legal consequences, and whether Mr. Homan’s actions were considered by the White House when he was appointed to his government role.”
Why should we care? Again, the dismissal of this case brings to mind the willingness of the Trump administration to overlook potential corrupt actions. In this case, there have been implications that the case might have been dismissed, even if senior officials in the Trump Administration had not pressured the Department of Justice, due to the difficulty in prosecuting such cases. But, regardless of the legal nuances, one glaring element of this is the clear issue of potential abuse by Mr. Homan of his position. It was quite clear from the article that Mr. Homan was very willing to use his previous work and connections to enrich himself, as well as the fact that the Trump administration was aware of the potential case and his behaviors. This also means that the present US government is quite happy to bring onboard individuals who clearly view personal enrichment as a part of their government service. Again, it continues to be important to report and publicize such actions, so that the public is aware and transparency and oversight are not set aside. These are worrying times, but we must not stop moving forward as we highlight what is going on around the world.
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