Richard Painter
Coverage of Richard Painter in the Nexus archive.
- 'Great grass': Trump plugs Scotts Miracle-Gro, a company that he says did the White House a favor
President Trump endorsed Scotts Miracle-Gro, stating the company provides 'great grass' and did the White House lawn for free. The company donated $1 million to the National Park Service for restoring the White House South Lawn after a UFC event. Ethics experts have raised concerns about Trump's pattern of promoting private companies.
- Trump's corporate endorsements put government fingers on the scale of business
President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed Dell computers and Walmart, urging Americans to purchase their products. Experts and former government officials express concerns that these actions favor specific companies, potentially distorting free enterprise and raising ethical questions about the government's role in business.
- Critics of Trump’s ‘anti-weaponization fund’ have no way to contest it yet
The Trump administration has established an 'anti-weaponization fund' worth $1.8 billion to pay political allies, but critics face significant legal barriers to challenging it in court due to the lack of clear standing to sue. Legal experts note that once payments are made, they will be extremely difficult to reverse, though potential grounds for future litigation may include constitutional emoluments clause violations or False Claims Act violations if whistleblowers emerge.