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January 6, 2017 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
Drain the swamp? Trump cabinet would be richest ever
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Presidential candidate Donald
Trump pledged to “drain the
swamp of corruption” in Wash-
ington, D.C., and proposed a
five-year ban on executive
branch officials becoming lob-
byists. Lobbyists are considered
to be a problem because they
work behind the scenes to get
laws and rules written for the
benefit of the wealthy and pow-
erful. But with his cabinet ap-
pointments, president-elect
Trump would cut out lobbyist
middlemen and put the wealthy
and powerful directly in charge
of federal agencies.
If Trump’s nominees are con-
firmed by the Senate, they’ll be
by far the wealthiest cabinet in
U.S. history, with a combined
net worth of $14 billion — 50
times wealthier than George W.
Bush’s cabinet. Many of the
nominees are a lot like Trump:
They were born wealthy, at-
tended elite schools, and went
on to amass even larger fortunes
as adults. And a number of them
were big donors to the Trump
campaign.
It’s not like President Barack
Obama’s cabinet was filled with
working stiffs either. Secretary
of Commerce Penny Pritzker is
from a Chicago family worth
$29 billion. Secretary of State
EDUCATION: Bil-
lionaire Betsy De-
Vos thinks taxpay-
ers should pay for
private school.
LABOR: Fast food
CEO Andrew
Puzder opposes
minimum wage
increases.
John Kerry is worth over $200
million and is married to the
widow of a billionaire.
But Trump’s cabinet tops
them by far:
His pick for Secretary of
Commerce, worth an estimated
$2.5 billion, is investor Wilbur
Ross, a specialist in leveraged
buyouts. Ross once helped
Trump when his Atlantic City
casinos were in financial trou-
ble, and he gave $200,000 to
Trump’s election campaign.
His pick for Secretary of Ed-
ucation is Betsy DeVos, who
was born rich and married
richer. Her husband is CEO of
Amway and is son and heir to
the Amway founder’s $5.1 bil-
lion fortune. Betsy DeVos —
ers. His net worth is estimated at
$40 million.
Trump’s nominee for Secre-
tary of Labor is Andrew Puzder,
CEO of the company that owns
the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s fast
food chains. Puzder has a net
worth estimated at $25 million,
and he and his wife gave
COMMERCE: Bil- TREASURY: For-
$300,000 to Trump and the Re-
lionaire investor mer Goldman
publican National Committee.
Wilbur Ross once Sachs partner Steve Puzder would oversee enforce-
rescued Trump
Mnuchin profited
ment of wage and hour and oc-
casinos.
from foreclosures.
cupational safety laws and the
who never attended public administration of unemploy-
schools herself — is a longtime ment insurance, workers com-
advocate of taxpayer funding to pensation, and work visa pro-
grams.
charter and private schools.
In a Dec. 1 statement reacting
Trump’s nomineee for Secre-
to
Trump’s cabinet picks, AFL-
tary of State is Rex Tillerson,
CIO
President Richard Trumka
chairman and CEO of Exxon-
called
the appointments incon-
Mobil. America’s 29th highest
sistent
with the pledges Trump
paid CEO, Tillerson has a net
made
in
the campaign: “After
worth estimated at $150 million.
the
election,
we made clear that
Treasury Secretary Steven
we
would
hold
Donald Trump
Mnuchin, whose signature
accountable
to
the
promises he
could soon be on U.S. currency,
made
to
working
people.
His
was the chief fundraiser for the
initial
nominations
fundamen-
Trump campaign. A former
Goldman Sachs partner, hedge tally threaten these promises.
fund owner, and Hollywood Taken together, the appoint-
film investor, he made millions ments push President-elect
on films like American Sniper Trump away from the values
and Mad Max: Fury Road, and and issues that working class
as part owner of a bank that voters said were most important
foreclosed on 36,000 homeown- to them.”