Government Watchdog Groups are urging Biden to Hire an Ethics Director, at the White House, the way George W. Bush and Barack Obama did.
The Criticisms about Biden are often Dulled by Caveats that he’s Charted, a much more Ethical Path, at the White House and the Presidency, than his Predecessor, Trmp.
Six months into Office, they’re pushing the President to follow through on his Campaign Promise to Press for an aggressive 25-point Plan for Ethics Reform, fearful that the window to do so may be Closing, and with it an Opportunity to Prevent the Lapses of the Trump years, from happening again.
“There should be strong leadership coming out of the White House on the need for ethics legislation,” said Virginia Canter, Chief Ethics Counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), who served in the Counsel’s Office in the Obama White House. “But after what we suffered, in terms of the level of corruption we saw in the last administration, we realize that a lot of our norms, particularly with respect to presidential ethics, it's not enough.”
Having Campaigned on bringing Ethical Behavior back to the Oval Office, Biden made quick strides on that Front. He established Strong Ethics Rules for his own Aides, Banning them from receiving Compensation from their previous Employers, Prohibiting them from Lobbying the White House if they leave their Administration Jobs during Biden’s Term, and Restricting Gifts from Lobbyists.
But Executive Actions, only last as long, as the President in Office is willing to Live-by-Them. The Longer lasting Reforms, Canter and Others say, come through Legislative Action.
So far, Biden has embraced a Stalled Election Reform Bill that contained Ethics Proposals in it. But he rarely Emphasized the Ethics Part of that Legislation. And he hasn’t Publicly or Privately pushed Members of Congress to Pass other Laws that would encompass his Campaign Pledges: from Prohibiting Foreign Governments from Hiring Lobbyists; Strengthening Whistleblowers Protections; to Preventing Congress from being Influenced by Personal Financial Holdings. With an Evenly split Senate, Biden needs every Democratic Senator, and 10 Republicans, to Support any Changes.
In the Absence of that Legislative push, a Coalition of more than a Dozen Government Advocates are urging Biden to Appoint a Senior White House Official to Oversee, Enforce, and Communicate, about Ethics, the way former Republican President George W. Bush and Democrat President Barack Obama did.
A White House Official defended Biden’s efforts, saying his Initial Executive Order included the Toughest Ethical Standards of any President in American History, and that the White House, including the President, Counsel’s Office, Legislative Affairs’ Office and Public Engagement Office, have been Fighting to pass the For the People Act Election Bill. “We have been fighting incredibly hard for the For the People Act, which contains many reforms that the president ran on,” a White House Official said, adding that every Democrat Voted to Advance the Bill based on those efforts. “We remain committed to everything that he ran on,” the Official said. “We are not six months into the administration and we took office during a time of unprecedented crisis. This is a high priority.”
“There are those who say it's time for us to put the government in order and establish thorough ethics guidelines so this never happens again,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D-Md, 8th District), a Member of the Oversight Committee, who led the Second Impeachment Prosecution against Trump. “But then there's another impulse, which is to say that the problem was one guy, and he's gone. ...There’s a kind of complacency that sets in.”
Biden likely has a Limited time to Act. By the End of his first year, Members of Congress will be Consumed by the Midterm Elections and then the Next Presidential Race.
Biden hasn’t Advocated for any of the Ethics Legislation that has been introduced, including: those that would Protect Whistleblowers and Require Lawmakers to put Stocks in Blind Trusts. The White House Officials said the President Supports other efforts but that some Bills have Not been introduced yet.
In the Official Statement of Administration Policy, dated June 22nd, the White House did mention Ethics, saying “it would reform our campaign finance system with more transparency. It would establish stronger ethics rules for all three branches of government. These provisions would also serve to help restore confidence in our government, and in democratic institutions.”
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), who pressed Biden to enact Strong Federal Ethics Standards, at the start of his Term, said that even though Biden didn’t Speak much about the Ethics aspects of the Legislation, White House Staff recognize Ethics is One of the Bill’s Major Pillars, along with Voting and Redistricting. “I've talked with a lot of members of his team, who are very clear about the importance of all of these provisions,” he said.
The Bill includes a variety of Changes, including some Biden didn’t tout on the Campaign Trail. It requires: Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates to Publicly Disclose their previous 10 years of Income Tax Returns; establishes Ethics Rules for the Supreme Court; sets New Disclosure Rules and Limitations on Presidential Inaugural Committees; and Restructures the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to Reduce Partisan Gridlock.
But Senate Republicans Blocked the Bill, and like other Ethics Legislation, it doesn’t appear to be moving ahead. Democrats are pushing Biden to Support Lifting the 60-Vote Threshold that comes with the Filibuster for Select Issues, including, the For the People Act. But the White House has been Resistant to such a Reform.
“The 60-vote threshold in the Senate is still a steep climb for everything,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA, 11th District), a Member of the House Government Oversight Committee. “I do think there are pieces of legislation that still have good prospects before them. But overall, broad ethics reform in some kind of sweeping fashion is problematic.”
Biden’s Commitment to Ethical Governance has been Questioned after Aides, put in place a Purchasing System, that helped ensure Buyers of Biden’s Son’s Artwork remain Secret. There have also been concerns over the President’s Decision to Hire former Lobbyists and those with Corporate Ties, including Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and Counselor, Steve Ricchetti, and over his Acceptance of Unnamed Donations to the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware.
In a Letter, sent to Biden last month, Government Watchdog Groups wrote, they were Worried about potential Conflicts-of-Interest between Senior Officials who have Financial Ties with Uber and Lyft, the same Rideshare Companies providing Free Transportation to Vaccine Sites. As a result, the Groups met with White House Officials, in June, and learned the Administration has a Team of Seven to Eight Employees in the Counsel’s Office that tackle eEhics Issues, according to a Second White House Official. “We have an entire team in the White House counsel’s office dedicated to doing ethics work,” the Official said.
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