In the wake of the Wikileaks scandal and the release of FBI interview notes suggesting a “quid pro quo” offer between the State Department and the FBI in the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Monday released an outline of an ethics reform proposal.
The plan, according to the outline, is to “drain the swamp in Washington, D.C.” The five point plan even drew praise from noted #NeverTrump Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse, who said Trump’s proposal was “making a serious ethics reform proposal here.”
The proposal includes a plan to “re-institute a 5-year ban on all executive branch officials lobbying the government for 5 years after they leave government service.” Rather than do this through executive order, as most executive lobbying bans have done, Trump wants Congress to pass it into law so “it cannot be lifted by executive order.”
Second, Trump will ask Congress to pass the same lobbying ban on itself and Congressional staffers.
Trump’s third proposal is “to expand the definition of lobbyist so we close all the loopholes that former government officials use by labeling themselves consultants and advisors when we all know they are lobbyists.”
Turning his focus to former administration officials lobbying on behalf of foreign governments, Trump proposes a complete ban. “I am going to issue a lifetime ban against senior executive branch officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government,” the outline states.
Finally, Trump says he is “going to ask Congress to pass a campaign finance reform that prevents registered foreign lobbyists from raising money in American elections.”
Sasse, a vocal critic of Trump who says he will not vote for the GOP nominee, said of the proposal: “All five points have merit and are worthy of debate / consideration.”
.@realDonaldTrump is making a serious ethics reform proposal here. All five points have merit and are worthy of debate / consideration. https://t.co/9NLIllDowH
— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) October 18, 2016
