We all know that it is unethical and immoral for people in positions of power to use their stature for financial gain. We know that it’s unethical to sell influence, even in the name of charity.
That would be called a “pay for play scheme.”
But NPR reports that “pay for play” was exactly what the Trump family was attempting to do until they were called out for the obvious breach of ethics.
The website Charitybuzz auctions off all kinds of upscale meetings and visits with celebrities to raise money for charity. For example, for a mere $12,500, you can enjoy an afternoon boat ride and a tour of the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport. The money will go to the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation.
Not a bad way for the rich and famous to raise money for charity.
In the case of the Trump family, however, things weren’t quite so altruistic.
The Eric Trump Foundation was supposedly raising money to go to St. Jude’s Hospital for Children. Of course, earlier this year the foundation was found to have spent hundreds of thousands of donated dollars at Trump resorts. So whether or not any of the money would have ever made it to the sick children is questionable.
At any rate, the Eric Trump Foundation was using the website to auction off coffee with Ivanka Trump. For the paltry sum of $77,888, auction winners could sit down for a private chat and coffee break with the daughter of the President-elect.
It would have been a breach of ethics if a family member of any incoming President tried to sell her personal time. But it has become increasingly clear that Ivanka Trump will be an unusually influential member of the Trump administration. She is already said to be taking on some of the hostess duties usually performed by a first lady. Her father’s advisor has stated publicly that Ivanka is working on issues like climate change, and will have an office in the White House.
So to offer up a private meeting, for money, is clearly the worst kind of “pay for play” corruption.
Some of the bidders on the auction spoke with the New York Times about why they were bidding on the coffee date. All were obviously wealthy, and all of them had an agenda that they wanted to press with the President-elect. They knew that they would be buying a chance to influence policy in the White House.
And they were willing to pay for it.
After the New York Times report was released, the Coffee With Ivanka item was changed on CharityBuzz. Clicking on Ivanka’s picture late this morning would have brought you back to the site’s homepage, with no explanation of why.
By late this afternoon, the item was entirely gone from the site.
Apparently neither the wealthy hopefuls nor the Eric Trump Foundation will benefit from offering private time with Ivanka to the highest bidder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlKPH5WRnKs
Featured image by Michael Vadon via Flickr. Available through CC BY 2.0
