CABINET/ETHICS/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The White House held private meetings with four Cabinet-level officials last month to scold them for embarrassing stories about questionable ethical behavior at their respective agencies, sources familiar with the sessions tell CNN.
Internal watchdogs have launched at least nine audits, reviews or investigations across several Cabinet agencies, and stories about first-class travel, expensive office furniture, and internal strife have become commonplace… The meetings, held at chief of staff John Kelly’s request, were intended to provide ‘a clear message that optics matter,’ the sources said.
The White House gave the agencies a set of guidelines in a document titled ‘creating a culture of compliance,’ according to portions of the document obtained by CNN.
Among the highlighted advice:
• ‘You are the best guardian of your reputation. Your recordkeeping practices must be designed with a purpose to prove innocence at the complaint phase or with the press.’
• ‘Even if legal, does not mean you should do it — always consider optics.’
• ‘Optics questions: Does the event or travel further the President’s priorities, your department or agency’s mission; or, does it appear recreational or entertainment in nature.’
• ‘Remember, an ethics opinion matters only if the ethics officer received all of the information.’
The White House declined to comment.”
-Cristina Alesci, “White House scolds Cabinet officials after embarrassing ethics reports,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, Mar. 9, 2018 09:22pm