Biden Cabinet nominees dragged along by ethical concerns

President Joe Biden took office on Wednesday, but ethics issues still linger among his Cabinet choices.

Biden’s choice of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Homeland Security’s choice Alejandro Mayorkas, and Labor Secretary’s choice Marty Walsh have all faced questions of favoritism or conflict of interest over the past few years. decade.

SECRETARY OF LABOR BIDEN MARTY WALSH’S CAMPAIGN PAID NEARLY $ 1 MILLION TO GIRLFRIEND’S EMPLOYER

“It is extraordinary to see how many of these top candidates for Biden are already under an ethics cloud. We are looking to the future, because many of these former Obama officials are bringing their bags with them,” Adam Laxalt, external advisor to the Americans for Public Trust and the former Nevada attorney general told Fox News in a statement.

Rhode Island Gov. Raimondo has faced an ethics complaint from an adversarial state GOP that challenged a billion-dollar contract extension with games company IGT without a tender, reported WPRI in 2019. In 2020, the state’s ethics committee dismissed the complaint, which alleged a conflict of interest since IGT lobbyist Donald Sweitzer also worked for the Association of Democratic Governors, led by Raimondo, reported WPRI.

“We have serious reservations about the appointment of Governor Raimondo as Secretary of Commerce,” Rhode Island GOP President Sue Cienki said in a statement. “The Ethics Commission (all appointed by the Governor) determined that the Governor and Don Sweitzer were business associates, however, Mr Sweitzer would not gain financially from this relationship, so there was no probable cause for an ethics violation (despite the financial windfall owning shares in a company that signed a 20-year lottery deal, which is practically unknown in the company …)

“We are pleased that the Ethics Committee voted to dismiss this baseless complaint, after careful consideration,” Raimondo’s attorney, Jonathan Berkon of Perkins Coie LLP, said in a statement, according to WPRI.

CINDY MCCAIN SAYS SHE IS OPEN TO SERVE IN BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

Mayorkas came under fire during the Obama administration after a scathing report from the Inspector General revealed that he stepped in to help foreign investors in the EB-5 visa program who were linked to the Main Democrats. Mayorkas was the head of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, a homeland security agency.

In one case, Mayorkas “pressured staff” to expedite the review of an investment in a Las Vegas hotel and casino at the behest of then Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, according to the report of the inspector general of 2015.

Mayorkas appeared before the Republican-led House Homeland Security Committee in 2015 to answer questions after the Inspector General’s report was released.

“The [Department of Homeland Security] The Inspector General found that … the employees believed I had exercised undue influence in these cases, “Mayorkas told the committee, according to ABC News.” I am responsible for the perception of my employees. It is my responsibility and I recognize it. “

Years earlier, Mayorkas had been reprimanded for his “inappropriate” involvement in events that led to the pardon of a convicted drug dealer after the accused’s father contributed thousands of dollars to campaigns for Xavier Becerra, another choice from Cabinet Biden. Mayorkas was an American lawyer at the time. After contact from Becerra, Mayorkas called Washington, including the White House, about the case, although he was admittedly not very familiar with the facts.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is Biden’s choice to lead the Labor Department, but he comes under scrutiny after campaign filings showed he paid more than a million dollars to his girlfriend’s fundraising consultancy.

Walsh was also once linked with a federal investigation alleging that his associates used illegal tactics to “arm” local developers.

Although Walsh was not the subject of the investigation and has never been charged with a felony, questions have been raised about the tactics he allegedly employed in 2012 while running the Boston Building. Trades, a group that oversaw several local unions, before his tenure as mayor.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In an October 2012 conversation recorded through federal wiretaps, Walsh informed a local union leader that he told real estate developer AvalonBay Communities that he would face permit delays if he did not hire unionized workers. for a planned project. In another incident in December 2012, a developer told the Boston Globe that Walsh had pressured him to cancel construction contracts awarded to non-union contractors.

Fox Business’ Thomas Barrabi ‘and Fox News’ Peter Hasson, Morgan Phillips and Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.