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The writer is the author of ‘foreign agents: how American lobbyists and legislators threaten democracy around the world’
Two events this week took over Klarin in the alleged leading role of the US army as a crown against corruption.
The first came from President Donald Trump himself, who used on Monday Executive command Stop the execution of the Law on Foreign Corruption Practice. FCPA is simply legislation that makes Americans illegally bribing foreign officials. In books since 1977, the legislation was not only the first in the world to criminalize this type of myth, but for a long time served as Lodestar for efforts against corruption elsewhere.
Not only did the FCPa ban the Americans to grease the palms of the wrong foreign officials, but she gave further defense to US companies who want to refuse greedy foreign politicians. Such as ft -ov alan beattie writtenLegislation helped “equalize global play for US companies.”
For Trump, however, the law was a “horror show for America”. And thanks to his executive order, legislation is dead in force.
If it was the only move of the president, that would have been devastating enough. But somehow, things got worse. Trump’s Dirty Ministry of Justice issued a command For federal prosecutors to give up a significant case against the sitting of New York Mayor Eric Adams, who, among other things, has been charged with significant accusations of bribery and corruption. Adams denied all the charges.
While much of the attention of Adam’s case focused on triviality such as Air Force companies upgradesIt was always about something far destabilizing. He stood charged And seeking and “consciously” accepting foreign nationals funding – which, as every American politician knows, is the brightest than red lines when it comes to the campaign financing regulations. It was the persecution of the bomb, with the claim that Adams at one point even sent a member of his staff to get illegal funds from a foreign source.
The case, first filed in September, was a shot over the arches for all American politicians who played with the idea of seeking foreign sources of campaign funding. Considering how lightweight the US campaign funding regulations are, it has long been clear concern that foreign actors took advantage of the advantage. As early as 2010, then President Barack Obama warned that the US elections were “bankrupt.. Foreign subjects”. Elections, Obama said“The American people should be decided.”
So much for all that. Since Trump’s administration has started to reject all accusations against Adams, the signal has been sent, and the floods are now open to foreign regimen ready to make US politicians with as much money as they want. As long as these politicians remain in Trump’s good mercy, there are few reasons to think that they will be prosecuted.
Furthermore, each of those who have been paid politicians will now do everything they can to keep Trump in power, knowing that he is the only way to ensure a harmonious Ministry of Justice. Suddenly, foreign financing of American campaigns are opened.
This is more than more than a corruption advocate that have helped to build their anti-corruption booklet over the decade-unable to be eager for. Combined with recent The dissolution of all ventures associated with kleptocracy He runs out of the Ministry of Justice, it is clear that Trump and his allies have more than gladly destroyed US anti -corruption.
It is a little comfort that much is, basically, not surprising. Trump has long passed against FCPA II I was the subject of high investigations on whether foreign forces and foreign funding He helped his campaigns.
Adams, meanwhile, has He combined himself In Trump’s orbit in recent months, obviously with the intention of being accused of being rejected.
If there is no congress, legislation like FCPA will at least remain in the books other associated with corruption regulations – Which future presidential administrations could spend again. But these are the brightest silver lining. It is clear that Trump has entered his second administration without staining to enable the American heritage against the corruption of the leadership to implod, and cancel the progress made by crusators against corruption for decades.
A real “horror show” is an approach to a new administration of corruption, which will open the door to America to all kinds of bad actors.
