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Updated 11pm
DONALD TRUMP HAS named his son-in-law Jared Kushner as a senior adviser to the president.
Kushner will join Trump in the White House, putting the young real estate executive in position to exert broad sway over both domestic and foreign policy.
Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, must clear a series of hurdles before he takes any post in Washington.
He will need to argue that a federal anti-nepotism law barring officials from appointing relatives to government positions does not apply to him. He’ll also need to eliminate potential conflicts of interest between his family’s multi-billion dollar real estate empire and his government duties.
Kushner also owns Observer Media, which publishes the New York Observer.
Trump has come to rely heavily on Kushner, since the election he has been one of the transition team’s main liaisons to foreign governments, communicating with Israeli officials and meeting last week with Britain’s foreign minister.
He’s also huddled with congressional leaders and helped interview Cabinet candidates.
Kushner’s eligibility could be challenged but his lawyer Jamie Gorelick has argued that a 1967 law meant to bar government officials from hiring relatives does not apply to the West Wing.
She cited a later congressional measure to allow the president “unfettered” and “sweeping” authority in hiring staff.
Potential conflict of interests
Kushner, who will not be taking a salary, will resign as CEO of his family’s real estate company and as publisher of the New York Observer, as well as divest “substantial assets”, Gorelick said.
She said Kushner will recuse himself “from particular matters that would have a direct and predictable effect on his remaining financial interests”.
Ivanka Trump, who also played a significant role advising her father during the presidential campaign, will not be taking a formal White House position, transition officials said.
She is the mother of three young children, and her immediate plans are focusing on her family’s move from New York to Washington, though officials said her role could change in the future.
Officials also said Ivanka Trump would be leaving her executive roles at the Trump Organisation — her father’s real estate company — and her own fashion brands.
The anti-nepotism law has appeared to be the main obstacle to both Kushner and Ivanka Trump joining the White House.
In arguing that the measure did not apply to the West Wing, Kushner’s lawyer cited an opinion from two federal court judges in a 1993 case involving Hillary Clinton’s work on her husband’s healthcare law.
With reporting by © – AFP 2017
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I think micro-financing is a brilliant initiative. For those who might be interested there is one, kiva.org, that I have been using for a few years and I couldnt say a negative thing about it. You view peoples profiles and their business ideas and if you like you can loan them as little as $25. I have made many loans and never failed to be paid back. I just have a $100 in my account and its constantly going around in circles to new people.
Note: I dont work or have any relationship to Kiva other than I use it. I am sure there are other equally clever and reputable services doing the same thing online.
What a great idea. Just put in $50.
@ Brian Henoll. Thats excellent. Well done.
This is the same nation that sent a space probe to Mars.
Sadly India embraces the caste system, which is inequality between classes. That gives you the uber rich and also the uber poor. That is why they can send things into space and have loads of weapons.
What these women are doing is good and it should be applauded.
India’s caste system has less bearing on ones’s economic position that you might think. Higher caste is not necessarily richer. You will find all castes have people from the different folio economic strata.
Billions spent on nukes and an army
What a kip…
Gorta is delighted to support projects like this which have a major impact on local communities. The SCAD project directly assists 3,500 women in the self-help groups. The ripple effect is that these women are aiding an astounding 60,000 more women in their community.
For full details read Dee Kingston’s daily blog here http://www.gorta.org/blog/gorta-making-difference-india
What India should do is send a probe to Mars and increase its nuclear arsenal – all at great expense! That should help its citizens out of abject poverty!
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