Letter from Michael Stein

This Definitely Crosses a Line

The recent release of President Trump’s financial disclosure report should outrage every American who believes public office is a public trust. According to the disclosure, President Trump and his family earned an astonishing $1.2 billion through cryptocurrency ventures while his own administration is responsible for shaping and enforcing policies that directly affect that industry.

Whether one supports or opposes cryptocurrency is beside the point. The issue is the breathtaking and unprecedented conflict of interest. Americans deserve to know that decisions made in Washington are based on what is best for the country—not on what will increase the personal wealth of those making them.

For generations, our nation has expected presidents to avoid even the appearance of self-dealing. That standard has been sadly abandoned. When the president stands to profit personally from an industry his administration is regulating, public confidence in the integrity of government is inevitably undermined.

This is not simply about one financial disclosure or one business venture. It represents a level of corruption and self-enrichment that is unprecedented in modern American history. If such conduct had occurred under any previous administration, members of both political parties would have demanded investigations and accountability. The total silence from the Republican members of Congress is indeed deafening.

All Americans should be alarmed by the erosion of ethical standards at the highest levels of government and the total absence of checks and balances on this behavior. Our democracy depends on leaders serving the public interest, not their own political party or financial interests. If we normalize this kind of conduct, we risk permanently lowering the ethical bar for every future president.

Michael Stein
Cooperstown