The Hunter Biden scandal — the one implicating his father — is a national disgrace. It is a national security boondoggle, given the likelihood that the Bidens jeopardized U.S. interests for the sake of profit based on the family name.
MORTGAGE RATES ECLIPSE 7%, HIGHEST SINCE NOVEMBER, IN TROUBLING SIGN FOR MARKETAnd at every step, Joe Biden has covered for his son at the expense of public trust in the political system. In selling the family name, which Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) pathetically tried to dismiss by calling it merely an “illusion of access,” the Bidens have made a mockery of America’s good standing in the world, legitimizing our enemies and betraying our allies.
Unfortunately, as this scandal has played out, it has become clear that accountability and transparency are fading from politics. The public, who put their faith in elected officials such as Joe Biden, need more safeguards that prevent corruption from spreading like wildfire within the executive branch.
Democrat or Republican, the family members of sitting or former presidents (see: Bill Clinton ) just can’t help themselves from selling the Oval Office for personal enrichment. Some presidents clearly have a blind spot when it comes to their family, whether it’s Hunter Biden, Jared Kushner scoring a $2 billion deal with Saudi Arabia, the Clinton Foundation’s billions of dollars in donations , or even Neil Bush enriching himself due to the 2003 savings and loans crisis.
Let’s put an end to the “pay to play” era of politics. As president, I would sign an executive order to prevent family members of presidents and vice presidents from making money off of the Oval Office, both when their family members are in office and five years after leaving office.
Democrats and Republicans are to blame, and the public deserves better from its public servants in the White House.
Nor should Congress be immune: My executive order could also extend to members of Congress and their families. The family members of politicians such as Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have openly profited off of the stock market, government contracts, and more.
This kind of profiteering has nothing to do with public service. Holding a position of political power in Washington, D.C., should be about serving the people and keeping their interests in mind — nothing else. With great power comes great responsibility, and yet many of today’s politicians have turned their backs on the very people who gave them power in the first place.
Harry Truman once said , “Show me a man that gets rich by being a politician, and I’ll show you a crook.” By Truman’s definition, there seem to be hundreds of crooks — men and women — in Washington, D.C.Of course, an executive order should just be the first step. There is more to accountability and transparency than a mere presidential signature. It is also incumbent on the media to make political self-enrichment more transparent to voters and hold the wrongdoers accountable for their actions. On this front, the liberal media have failed, going soft on elected officials such as Joe Biden, and his family members, on the basis of ideology.
Where are Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in 2023? If Richard Nixon had done even a fraction of what the Biden family has done, Nixon would not only have been forced to resign from office — he would have been impeached, likely convicted, and potentially even lost his law license. Will the next Pulitzer Prize winner please step up?
When it comes to Washington, D.C., the blind spots need to come into full focus. That’s why I’m calling my proposed executive order the “Blind Spot” initiative. The public has seen far too much corruption in recent years, and reform is long overdue.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM RESTORING AMERICALarry Elder is a Republican candidate for president of the United States in 2024. He is the author of As Goes California: My Mission to Rescue the Golden State and Save the Nation.