Nepotism

Thursday December 3, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday December 3, 2020

Trump Has Discussed With Advisers Pardons for His 3 Eldest Children and Giuliani

December 4, 2019

President Trump has discussed with advisers whether to grant pre-emptive pardons to his children, to his son-in-law and to his personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani, and talked with Mr. Giuliani about pardoning him as recently as last week, according to two people briefed on the matter.

Mr. Trump has told others that he is concerned that a Biden Justice Department might seek retribution against the president by targeting the oldest three of his five children — Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump — as well as Ms. Trump’s husband, Jared Kushner, a White House senior adviser.

December 4, 2018

Donald Trump Jr. had been under investigation by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, for contacts that the younger Mr. Trump had had with Russians offering damaging information on Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign, but he was never charged. Mr. Kushner provided false information to federal authorities about his contacts with foreigners for his security clearance, but was given one anyway by the president.

The nature of Mr. Trump’s concern about any potential criminal exposure of Eric Trump or Ivanka Trump is unclear, although an investigation by the Manhattan district attorney into the Trump Organization has expanded to include tax write-offs on millions of dollars in consulting fees by the company, some of which appear to have gone to Ms. Trump.

December 24, 2016

Presidential pardons, however, do not provide protection against state or local crimes.

Mr. Giuliani’s potential criminal exposure is also unclear, although he was under investigation as recently as this summer by federal prosecutors in Manhattan for his business dealings in Ukraine and his role in ousting the American ambassador there. The plot was at the heart of the impeachment of Mr. Trump.

The speculation about pardon activity at the White House is churning furiously, underscoring how much the Trump administration has been dominated by investigations and criminal prosecutions of people in the president’s orbit. Mr. Trump himself was singled out by federal prosecutors as “Individual 1” in a court filing in the case that sent Michael D. Cohen, his former lawyer and fixer, to prison. (New York Times) 

 

Thursday June 27, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday June 27, 2019

Doug Ford to review appointments after Dean French’s niece resigns

Premier Doug Ford is investigating the French connections in the wake of the cronyism scandal embroiling his Progressive Conservative government.

March 22, 2019

Ford “called for a review of all pending appointments” on Tuesday after a relative of his former chief of staff, Dean French, resigned from the province’s Public Accountants Council.

French, who stepped down after a separate nepotism imbroglio on Friday night, is the uncle of Katherine Pal, managing director of Pal Insurance.

Pal had been named as a provincial appointee to the council on Dec. 31.

“When the premier found out about this one, he hit the roof,” said a senior Ford official, speaking confidentially in order to discuss internal conversations.

“He didn’t know about this personal connection so he’s called for a review of all pending appointments. He was really unhappy,” the government insider said.

Indeed, Ford sent a damage-control note to Tory MPPs underscoring that French has been defenestrated.

March 8, 2019

“I need to be clear he no longer has a role in our government or the party,” the premier wrote to caucus members.

“Dean’s advice and support has been appreciated, but he no longer has any influence in this government.”

French was a source of aggravation for the premier due to his headline-grabbing antics, such as loudly berating Tory MPPs and staffers.

French resigned Friday night, just hours after the premier revoked two patronage appointments he had pushed through.

French had installed his wife’s cousin, Taylor Shields, as the $185,000-a-year Ontario agent general to London, England and his son’s 26-year-old lacrosse buddy, Tyler Albrecht, as the province’s $164,910-a-year trade representative in New York.

January 12, 2019

After Ford rescinded the appointments, two cabinet ministers personally urged him on Friday morning to fire French for embarrassing the government.

The Tories felt blindsided because they assumed they would have to defend the other two patronage appointees named Thursday afternoon as Queen’s Park was preoccupied with a massive cabinet shuffle.

The patronage debacle is especially problematic to Ford, who on Saturday railed against “the downtown insiders … (and) media who criticize us at every single step.”

He charged that his opponents are “a select few (that) can’t stand that we are taking their hands out of the cookie jar.”

But opposition parties say Ford is the one driving the “gravy train.” (Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Saturday January 12, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday January 12, 2019

Paving over Ontario Place for mall, casino would be travesty

A gambling casino. A 1.6-million-square-foot “megamall.” An amusement park, including the world’s largest ferris wheel.

July 30, 2012

These are just some of the things that Premier Doug Ford has mused about locating at the site of Ontario Place, the 62-hectare park on the west side of Toronto’s downtown, adjacent to the CNE grounds.

Much of Ontario Place has been closed since 2012, when then-premier Dalton McGuinty was trying to save money. But in truth, it had been on the decline for years, the victim of outdated thinking and vision. In 2017, his successor Kathleen Wynne unveiled a partial redevelopment plan worth about $30 million, which would have seen a waterfront park be a central attraction.

That plan received strong public support, and much of the money has been spent. But Ford’s government killed it early on after being elected. Nowhere on the list of things Ford is exploring is public parkland.

February 3, 2012

This is more than just a Toronto story. Ontario Place is an important public asset for all Ontarians. Paving it over for a mall, casino or amusement park would be a travesty. But it appears that’s where Ford is headed. He appointed a crony and Conservative fundraiser to oversee the redevelopment. And considering that his environment minister is the former head of the province’s gambling corporation, anything is possible.

Ford and his brother, Rob, brought some of their plans forward while the latter was mayor and the former was a councillor. Their ideas were soundly defeated in the face of public opposition.

Now that he’s premier, Ford probably thinks public opposition doesn’t matter. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s right about that. (Source: Hamilton Spectator Editorial) 

 

Wednesday October 23, 2002

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday October 23, 2002

PM accepts MacAulay resignation

Solicitor General Lawrence MacAulay, after weeks of withering attacks over his penchant for political cronyism, resigned from cabinet yesterday — even though his boss didn’t want him to go.

Even as he accepted the resignation, Prime Minister Jean Chretien aggressively defended his former minister and set himself on a collision course with his ethics counsellor, Howard Wilson.

Marvellous Maps

Wilson found MacAulay had crossed an ethical line by lobbying an underling, RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli, for funding for a Charlottetown college run by the minister’s brother.

MacAulay, in a letter released with his resignation, said Wilson was “dead wrong” and Chretien agreed, making it clear he was prepared to ignore the findings of his ethics counsellor and keep MacAulay on his front bench.

“If Mr. MacAulay had not resigned, I’m telling you, I would have defended him,” Chretien said, after a swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall, which elevated P.E.I. backbencher Wayne Easter to the cabinet as solicitor general and political minister for the island.

By accepting MacAulay’s resignation, Chretien has now lost five senior ministers who have quit, been fired, or shuffled off to rewards under clouds in 2002. (CBC)