A group of the US Congress has presented the Restoring the Public Trust Act, where things seek to have federal nepotism laws applicable to the US presidential office, and also slammed President Donald Trump for “normalizing unethical behavior” during his terms in the administration.
The US representative Ted Lieu on Tuesday said: “Trump and his administration have made a mockery of government ethics, demonstrating the week spots in our current laws. He has normalized unethical behavior in a way that was once unthinkable, proving that we need stronger ethics laws.”’
Lieu along with other representatives who have endorsed the bill are Congressionalist Ruben Gallego, Linda Sanchez, Anna Eshoo, and David Cicilline.
According to a statement released by Lieu’s office, the bill ensured that the “gaping holes” in ethics laws and anti-corruption in the US has been addressed.
He further outlined, “The Restoring the Public Trust Act helps us do the critical work of rebuilding the public’s faith in government.”
The bills seeks to cut off president’s power in appointing the close family members to the post in the executive office of the president, by making federal nepotism laws applicable to the office.
The US’ nepotism law stated: “A public official may not appoint, employ, promote, advance, or advocate for appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement, in or to a civilian position in the agency in which he is serving or over which he exercises jurisdiction or control any individual who is a relative of the public official.”
Currently, Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump with her husband Jared Kushner are serving as an advisor to Trump in the US. Furthermost, the bill will also target president’s vacations to Mar-a-Lago by the “Swamp Act”.
The statement mentioned: “The president must reimburse the treasury department for taxpayers dollars spent at properties in which he has a financial stake, like Mar-a-Lago.”
The introduced bill includes another act to create a federal criminal penalty to those who uses public office for private gains, “endorsement of products, or aiding family and friends for corrupt purposes”.
The bill also “prohibits any business interest owned in whole or in part by the president or vice president, his/her spouse, or immediate family member from doing business with the federal government”.
For the proposed bill to become a law in the US, it needs to pass through both the parties of the US Congress – the House of Representatives and the US Senate. After this, it requires a signature of the president to turn the bill into a law.