ethics

Washington, D.C., attorney Jeffrey Lovitky has taken it upon himself to sue President Trump.

For 1 Attorney, A Lonely Legal Fight To Make Trump Comply With Rules

4:24pm January 15, 2018

by Peter Overby

Attorney Jeffrey Lovitky took it upon himself last year to sue Trump. "It is intimidating," he says. Still, he's suing again, saying he has a duty to push for compliance with various ethics rules.

Queue Listen Now

In the Philippines, an advertisement for Manila's Trump Tower, featuring Ivanka Trump.

After A Year In Office, Questions About Trump's Foreign Deals Go On. And On

4:58am January 15, 2018

by Jackie Northam

When preparing to take the oath of office, President Trump promised to make no new foreign business deals. But a year later, ethics experts say the problems have not been solved in any meaningful way.

NBC's "The Good Place" cast during the Aug. 2, 2016. press appearance (left to right): William Jackson Harper, Ted Danson, D'Arcy Carden, Kristen Bell, Jameela Jamil, Manny Jacinto.

Science

The Good Psychology In 'The Good Place'

2:19pm October 23, 2017

by Tania Lombrozo

Despite my skepticism at the outset, for a light and amusing TV sitcom "The Good Place" does a pretty good job with philosophy — and a pretty good job with human psychology, too, says Tania Lombrozo.

This March 11, 2016, file photo, shows the Mar-a-Lago Club, owned by President Donald Trump, in Palm Beach, Fla.

Watchdogs Try To Get Mar-A-Lago Answers, Mostly Turn Up More Questions

8:31pm September 15, 2017

by Jackie Northam

Two groups are attempting to get more information about President Trump's guests at his private Florida resort Mar-A-Lago. For the most part, the inquiries have generated more questions than answers.

White House staffers may need assistance from a legal defense fund if special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe pulls them in for questioning.

White House Staffers May Get Legal Fund For Russia Probe — With Anonymous Donors?

12:28pm September 15, 2017

by Peter Overby

Anonymous donations to a legal defense fund, even one for White House staffers, could be a discreet way of showing loyalty to President Trump.

Former Office of Government Ethics director Walter Shaub wants to see reforms to strengthen the office.

Former Ethics Director Says Trump Is Causing A 'Crisis;' Calls For Reforms

6:34pm July 28, 2017

by Mollie Simon

Walter Shaub, former head of the federal ethics office, says that unless compliance laws are toughened, American ethical norms will fade away. They will be replaced by new, lower standards, he fears.

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said in an interview on Thursday that the federal disclosure rules could be too cumbersome.

Politics & Government

Top Trump Aide Says Ethics Filings Discourage Potential Government Employees

6:03pm July 27, 2017

In an interview on Fox & Friends, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway called federal disclosure rules "disincentivising" for qualified people who might otherwise want to join the administration.

Outgoing ethics director Walter Shaub said in January that President Trump's plan to reduce conflicts of interest "doesn't meet the standards ... that every president in the past four decades has met."

Politics & Government

Ethics Office Director Walter Shaub Resigns, Saying Rules Need To Be Tougher

4:31pm July 06, 2017

Shaub, who has had many battles with the Trump administration, says he is quitting to become a legal activist. He says the "current situation" shows tougher ethics action is needed.

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A watchdog group contends that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley violated the Hatch Act for retweeting a political message from the president.

Ethics Group Says U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley's Retweet Violated A Federal Law

5:48pm June 27, 2017

by Mollie Simon

Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, retweeted President Trump's support for a political candidate. CREW says that violated a law that bans federal employees from political activity.

Some of President Trump's sources of revenue from hotel-related companies.

Politics & Government

Trump's Business Empire: An Update On His Sources Of Revenue

3:53pm June 20, 2017

by Peter Overby

As a presidential candidate last year, Trump had to disclose his sources of revenues. Now in office, the president has voluntarily updated the information about the Trump Organization's businesses.