The benefits have flowed from Trump’s businesses and campaign committees, according to a ProPublica analysis of public disclosures, court records and securities filings. One campaign aide had his average monthly pay double, from $26,000 to $53,500. Another employee got a $2 million severance package barring him from voluntarily cooperating with law enforcement. And one of the campaign’s top officials had her daughter hired onto the campaign staff, where she is now the fourth-highest-paid employee.
Absolutely nothing to see here, just some classic American cronyism /s
Trump paid more for people to do nothing than he pays his own contractors
From the linked article… “It feels very shady, especially as you detect a pattern. … I would worry about it having a corrupt influence,” Barbara McQuade, a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, said after hearing from ProPublica about benefits provided to potential Trump witnesses.
But McQuade said these cases are difficult to prove, even if the intent were actually to influence testimony, because savvy defendants don’t explicitly attach strings to the benefits and would more likely be “all wink and a nod, ‘You’re a great, loyal employee, here’s a raise.’”
Sure, it’s just “good worker raises” that no other worker gets must be super difficult for the law to determine what is normal employment and business, and what is a bribe.
Would be nice if they could force the trump org to justify why only these few, specific people are getting huge raises or sweetheart deals/bonuses.
Chances are they have similar education and competence/accomplishments as non-bribed employees. Since everyone is working at similar levels they all should get double salaries and multi-million dollar severence, or have their families get high paying jobs simply for being related.
If he didn’t bring enough bribes for everyone, than nobody gets any!
Does he employ savvy defendants though?
Given that it’s a pattern, it seems really likely that this is an effort to bribe witnesses. Wonder what they didn’t say because they knew their livelihood was on the line.
ProPublica did not find evidence that Trump personally approved the pay increases or other benefits. But Trump famously keeps close watch over his operations and prides himself on penny-pinching.