Prediction for the OGE current vacancy

With Walter Shaub now gone, having resigned his position as the head of the Office of Government Ethics it leaves a glaring vacancy.

One might question will a replacement be appointed? I say beware of that very proposition.

The OGE vacancy should be filled by the Chief of Staff, Shelley K. Finlayson, yet my gut instinct tells me it will not be.

With the breaking events of A.G. Sessions recusal coming into question via an interview recorded of the President by the New York Times, the real question of how and why is it expected by this President that only an Attorney General whose rhetoric is 100% favorable toward him?

With that in mind, I predict that a "favorable" OGE department head will be appointed.

I know, not exactly exciting stuff here for those uninterested in the political landscape, but I think it will be extremely telling.

Any thoughts? (that dont include meme's only, obvious attacks, or completely off-topic - also Hillary, Obama, and any other unrelated persons are very unwelcome)

a reply to: alphabetaone

It's not a matter of favorability to the president. It's the ability to resist leftist bully tactics. Sessions was a push over. He had no reason to recuse himself. Or maybe he did. Mueller, who was appointed by a Trump appointee that can withstand leftist bullying and is not 100% favorable to Trump, will get to the bottom of it.

originally posted by: Templeton
a reply to: alphabetaone

It's not a matter of favorability to the president. It's the ability to resist leftist bully tactics. Sessions was a push over. He had no reason to recuse himself. Or maybe he did. Mueller, who was appointed by a Trump appointee that can withstand leftist bullying and is not 100% favorable to Trump, will get to the bottom of it.

Please.

Trumps own party holds most of the seats in government right now. No one is "bullying" anyone. Trump isn't the victim here, even though he constantly plays that card for sympathy from his supporters.

How much more blatant does Trump have to be before people realize he means what he says? He fired Comey because he wouldn't cave to pressure on the Russian investigation, and now he wishes he wouldn't have appointed Sessions for the same reason.

Neither of those are opinion or spin or "fake news". They are statements directly from his own mouth.

a reply to: alphabetaone

My guess is that it will remain another empty office.

originally posted by: Templeton
a reply to: alphabetaone

It's not a matter of favorability to the president.

Well, actually, with this President it is regretfully. He has a pattern of decrying as "FAKE NEWS" any unfavorable press towards him, and almost going out of his way to praise the most nonsensical of outlets (Alex Jones comes to mind).

It's the ability to resist leftist bully tactics.

Again, regretfully, resisting in this case would be tantamount to ignoring, which he clearly has not shown a propensity towards. With respect to "bullying tactics", some of us NOT on the left call that accountability.

He had no reason to recuse himself. Or maybe he did.

He definitely did. He did the right thing.

Mueller, who was appointed by a Trump appointee that can withstand leftist bullying and is not 100% favorable to Trump, will get to the bottom of it.

I agree that Mueller WILL get to the bottom of it, but your bias is showing....an Ethics Office discussion should be void of party affiliation.

a reply to: Kali74

You may be right Kali, but if things go as they should, Finlayson should be posted there. Then again, things are far from average these days, so who knows.


I would prefer that you are correct, over another "appointee" ending up there.

We don need no stinkin ethics.

Apparently Trump is having difficulty finding anyone that wants to work for him....

www.politico.com...

a reply to: alphabetaone

I suspect that one of two things happens.

Either Trump does exactly as you have predicted, or he just eliminates the OGE altogether.

Donald Trump has absolutely no concept of, or use for, Justice or ethical behavior.

originally posted by: Flatfish
or he just eliminates the OGE altogether.

Do you think he could actually do this though without even hardline Republicans thinking he crossed a line?

Donald Trump has absolutely no concept of, or use for, Justice or ethical behavior.

No argument from me there.

originally posted by: alphabetaone

originally posted by: Flatfish
or he just eliminates the OGE altogether.

Do you think he could actually do this though without even hardline Republicans thinking he crossed a line?

To tell you the truth, after witnessing the last election I have very little confidence that anyone with an (R) in front of their name will stand up in the name of ethics and/or morals every again.

Nowadays, they just seem to want to double-down instead.

originally posted by: Flatfish

originally posted by: alphabetaone

originally posted by: Flatfish
or he just eliminates the OGE altogether.

Do you think he could actually do this though without even hardline Republicans thinking he crossed a line?

To tell you the truth, after witnessing the last election I have very little confidence that anyone with an (R) in front of their name will stand up in the name of ethics and/or morals every again.

Nowadays, they just seem to want to double-down instead.

Ok. I can understand your frustration in that regard, it seems almost every Republican is kot-towing to this administration and i'm at a loss for words as to why.

But there are some that are fighting the only way they know how (so they dont wind up like AG Sessions), for instance Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, even Lindsay Graham to a lesser extent. But there are some, which gives me a shred of hope.

I would like to think that some would draw their own lines in the sand and say 'enough' you moronic manchild. The POresidency and the Government is larger than you.

originally posted by: alphabetaone

originally posted by: Flatfish

originally posted by: alphabetaone

originally posted by: Flatfish
or he just eliminates the OGE altogether.

Do you think he could actually do this though without even hardline Republicans thinking he crossed a line?

To tell you the truth, after witnessing the last election I have very little confidence that anyone with an (R) in front of their name will stand up in the name of ethics and/or morals every again.

Nowadays, they just seem to want to double-down instead.

Ok. I can understand your frustration in that regard, it seems almost every Republican is kot-towing to this administration and i'm at a loss for words as to why.

But there are some that are fighting the only way they know how (so they dont wind up like AG Sessions), for instance Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, even Lindsay Graham to a lesser extent. But there are some, which gives me a shred of hope.

I would like to think that some would draw their own lines in the sand and say 'enough' you moronic manchild. The POresidency and the Government is larger than you.

You're absolutely right, I tend to exaggerate just a bit when I'm pissed.

There are indeed some very good people with an (R) in front of their names including every one of those you listed and more.

I'm just disappointed that more of them aren't standing up to this totally unorthodox presidency.

*Gasp* who could have seen THIS coming?

Trump Fills Top Job at Government Ethics Office With a Temporary Appointment

WASHINGTON — President Trump picked a new leader for the Office of Government Ethics on Friday, naming the agency’s general counsel, David J. Apol, as the acting director.

By making the appointment temporary and avoiding Senate confirmation hearings, Mr. Trump is able, at least for now, to avoid an extended public debate before lawmakers about the role of the ethics office during the Trump administration.

Mr. Apol will replace Walter M. Shaub Jr., who resigned Tuesday six months short of the end of his five-year term as the agency’s executive director. His resignation followed a period of intense criticism by Mr. Shaub of Mr. Trump and the administration’s approach to managing government ethics.
Mr. Apol, who has worked on ethics issues in the federal government in various posts for three decades, said in a brief interview Friday that he looked forward to the new assignment, in which he will be overseeing the agency charged with monitoring ethics compliance at federal agencies across the government, including the White House.

and....

By not nominating a permanent replacement for Mr. Shaub, the White House avoids public questions from lawmakers about how the agency should best monitor ethics questions at the White House, including about Mr. Trump’s continued financial ties to businesses now run by his sons.
Mr. Apol can remain as acting director for 210 days, and then another 210 days if Mr. Trump nominates someone to the job permanently.
Mr. Apol, in his role as general counsel, had a much more cordial relationship with the White House over the last six months, White House officials have said. He argued the office should consult with officials there when addressing ethics questions raised by Democrats in Congress, while Mr. Shaub wanted to maintain more distance from the White House.

What a shocker for sure. APPOINTING a favorable ethics head, that doesn't believe that being distant from partisan politics is paramount.

You simply couldn't write this crap in a novel.

Source