3/16/2018

TARIFFS/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP PEOPLE: “When Peter Navarro needed financing for a documentary film on the dangers to the U.S. of China’s trade policy, he sought out Nucor Corp. , an American steel company.
Nucor made payments to fund the film through a San Diego nonprofit then led by a friend of Mr. Navarro. The arrangement was examined as part of a broader 2012 FBI investigation of the nonprofit’s finances, according to three former employees of the nonprofit. No charges were filed.
Mr. Navarro is now a top trade adviser in the White House, with a growing public profile for his get-tough views on trade. His connection with Nucor underscores the wide-ranging, historic ties between Mr. Trump’s top trade advisers and the U.S. steel industry, which stands to benefit from tariffs the Trump administration recently imposed…Legal experts said the presence of U.S. officials with industry ties doesn’t on its face violate federal ethics rules, but some experts questioned the appearance.
Compared with previous administrations, ‘the Trump administration seems to have far more individuals in key government positions regulating industries that those individuals got rich working in,’ said Paul Ryan, vice president for policy and litigation at Common Cause, an advocacy group that supports greater transparency in politics.”

Nick Timiraos and  Rebecca Ballhaus,” Navarro’s Ties to Nucor Highlight Trump Advisers’ Steel-Industry Connections,” The Wall Street Journal, Mar. 16, 2018 5:30am