"It's important that we'll have a government ethics chief in place who serves the American people, not Trump's wallet," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Summary
The Senate confirmed President Biden’s David Huitema as head of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) in a 50-46 vote, securing his five-year term before the Republican-led administration of President-elect Donald Trump begins.
The OGE has been without a director for over a year, and Huitema’s appointment ensures the office is staffed to oversee the critical presidential transition process.
However, concerns remain, as Trump could fire Huitema or bypass ethics protocols for key appointees.
Ethics groups applauded the confirmation but warned of significant challenges ahead under Trump’s leadership.
Trump has a pathological need to tell everyone what a big boy he is and he makes his own decisions, because he needs external affirmation. Firing Huitema will get him applause from the shit-flingers so of course he'll do it.
The executive branch ethics program works to prevent financial conflicts of interest to help ensure government decisions are made free from personal financial bias.
Kinda weird to instate this as an advisory body instead of just making self-management of investments for anyone in Congress illegal. Everyone in finance has to do that because of the clear conflict of interest. The people making the laws and financial regulations seemingly do not because their above it (even tho their very clearly enriching themselves).
Tbf that was always kinda the point. It was a coined to mock the creation of White House office positions that had no legislation justifying it's existence, as opposed to the Federal Departments.
If the office was created, and position filled undemocratically, then calling that office holder a tsar makes some sense, if clearly hyperbolic.
Obviously, this one is a Senate approved appointment, so the point is diluted.