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Is this conflict of interest?

Is this conflict of interest?


  • Total voters
    22
  • Poll closed .

radcen

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Of course not. She can wear anything she damn well pleases.
 
No. That would be a ridiculous standard.
 
There are a number of conflicts of interest relating to the Trump family and their connection to the federal government but I don't see the Ivanka clothes thing as being one.

Beyond that I've read where most retail chains other than Big Lots no longer carry Ivanka clothes and shoes. Wasn't it about 6 months ago that "Needless Markup" dumped the Ivanka line because it wasn't selling?
 
There are a number of conflicts of interest relating to the Trump family and their connection to the federal government but I don't see the Ivanka clothes thing as being one.

Beyond that I've read where most retail chains other than Big Lots no longer carry Ivanka clothes and shoes. Wasn't it about 6 months ago that "Needless Markup" dumped the Ivanka line because it wasn't selling?
Agreed. There are many legit things to complain about. This isn't one of them.
 
If she got on social media and said, 'Buy my clothes," I'd say yes. Just wearing her own clothes? Nah, I see nothing wrong with it. Might be all she can wear pretty soon, when Daddy and Hubs go to the pen. :lol:
 
Welcome to today's politics.

This is not just an opinion question, there are legal definitions of conflict of interest and the emoluments clause of the Constitution. Rather than divest herself of her business interests when deciding to be a senior official in the administration she chose to put her business in a trust.

From the Newsweek article:

"
When the company was put into the trust, Ivanka Trump reportedly instructed it not to use her likeness in marketing materials, and other retailers were told to do the same.

She tries not to wear her company’s clothes or accessories during state visits or other heavily publicized events, a person privy to Ivanka Trump’s practices told The Journal, but Trump also does not believe her shoes or other accessories stand out as much as her dresses and bags.

The report also found that some of the products Trump has worn since she started working in the White House were released and available for sale after March.

Because Ivanka Trump’s company is private, there is no way to know if it has profited from her time in the White House.

She's acting as a marketer and modelling for her own brand. Which she put in trust. Which she said would not use her image. And though this might seem petty to some, it is rather unethical, and pretty easy for her to stop doing.

The president and his family see the office as a good way to promote their own businesses to an extent never imagined before. It's SAD that his supporters openly support these practices, and tsk tsk any reported objection.
 
This is not just an opinion question, there are legal definitions of conflict of interest and the emoluments clause of the Constitution. Rather than divest herself of her business interests when deciding to be a senior official in the administration she chose to put her business in a trust.

From the Newsweek article:

"

She's acting as a marketer and modelling for her own brand. Which she put in trust. Which she said would not use her image. And though this might seem petty to some, it is rather unethical, and pretty easy for her to stop doing.

The president and his family see the office as a good way to promote their own businesses to an extent never imagined before. It's SAD that his supporters openly support these practices, and tsk tsk any reported objection.

I think you're reading more into it because you want to. You have to be consciously willing to stretch the intent of the law to see the wearing of one's own clothes as a violation.
 
I think you're reading more into it because you want to. You have to be consciously willing to stretch the intent of the law to see the wearing of one's own clothes as a violation.

And I think you are overlooking the intent of the law because you want to.
For 200 years Senior Officials have given up their businesses or put them in blind trusts. Ivanka is actively promoting her business using the spotlight of the presidency and the fact that you like Trump does not change that. Yeah sure, dresses don't seem as important as oil wells or investment agencies, but it is promoting one's own business just the same. And as I pointed out earlier, very easy to stop doing. I'm sure she has other dresses to wear.
 
If she got on social media and said, 'Buy my clothes," I'd say yes. Just wearing her own clothes? Nah, I see nothing wrong with it. Might be all she can wear pretty soon, when Daddy and Hubs go to the pen. :lol:

Nothing wrong with promoting your products on social media.
 
Nothing wrong with promoting your products on social media.

Whether it is wrong is a matter of opinion. It is, however, a violation of federal regulations for public officials to do so. However, I think a reasonable person would say that wearing clothes does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of it. Maybe if it had her logo or something prominently displayed, but it doesn’t.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/5/2635.702
 
Nothing wrong with promoting your products on social media.

It is if you are a federal employee.

~ snip ~ § 2635.702 Use of public office for private gain.
An employee shall not use his public office for his own private gain, for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise... ~ snip ~

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/5/2635.702
 
Is this conflict of interest?

I do not see it as such.

She's gotta wear clothes... so why not her own line? I don't see a problem with it unless she was profusely commenting and pimping it throughout.
 
She and her husband are multimillionaire's with broad brand recognition. She can well afford to wear other designer brands.

There is no need for Ivanka to blatantly plug her clothing brand as a White House official.

Then again, Ivanka's clothes are manufactured in foreign sweatshops (i.e. China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, etc.)

The "Make it in America/Hire Americans" Trump family hypocrisy is astounding.
 
She and her husband are multimillionaire's with broad brand recognition. She can well afford to wear other designer brands.

There is no need for Ivanka to blatantly plug her clothing brand as a White House official.

Then again, Ivanka's clothes are manufactured in foreign sweatshops (i.e. China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, etc.)

The "Make it in America/Hire Americans" Trump family hypocrisy is astounding.
And the hypocrisy is worn proudly by Don's followers.
 
She and her husband are multimillionaire's with broad brand recognition. She can well afford to wear other designer brands.

There is no need for Ivanka to blatantly plug her clothing brand as a White House official.

Then again, Ivanka's clothes are manufactured in foreign sweatshops (i.e. China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, etc.)

The "Make it in America/Hire Americans" Trump family hypocrisy is astounding.
The hypocrisy re "made in America" is supremely astounding. Totally agree. Only a true Sucker can defend that.

But why do you say she's "blatatly" plugging her brand? Short of a large exterior label, or her saying something, the vast majority of people would never know.

As a WH official, who is ostensibly on duty 24/7, should she refrain from wearing her own brand 24/7, or only during official and planned business activities? Would she be allowed to wear her own brand when out with the family on vacation and there's a paparazzi nearby shooting photos?
 
I think you're reading more into it because you want to. You have to be consciously willing to stretch the intent of the law to see the wearing of one's own clothes as a violation.

And you might well be doing the opposite.
 
The hypocrisy re "made in America" is supremely astounding. Totally agree. Only a true Sucker can defend that.

But why do you say she's "blatatly" plugging her brand? Short of a large exterior label, or her saying something, the vast majority of people would never know.

As a WH official, who is ostensibly on duty 24/7, should she refrain from wearing her own brand 24/7, or only during official and planned business activities? Would she be allowed to wear her own brand when out with the family on vacation and there's a paparazzi nearby shooting photos?

No exterior labels are needed. Whenever anyone in the public eye appears in public the make and cost of their clothing is almost instantly available.
Princess Kate, Michelle Obama, Melania Trump, sell out clothing lines within hours. You might not be paying attention, but many people do. Maybe you remember the storm after Ann Romney appeared on TV in an 1800 dollar tee shirt?

As long as she would like to be a senior administration official she should refrain from promoting her own business.
 
No exterior labels are needed. Whenever anyone in the public eye appears in public the make and cost of their clothing is almost instantly available.
Princess Kate, Michelle Obama, Melania Trump, sell out clothing lines within hours. You might not be paying attention, but many people do. Maybe you remember the storm after Ann Romney appeared on TV in an 1800 dollar tee shirt?

As long as she would like to be a senior administration official she should refrain from promoting her own business.

So, it's your opinion that she should not wear any clothing of any type from her own line, at any time, day or night, until after she is no longer affiliated with the government, correct? Just making sure, because it seems that's exactly what you're saying.
 
No exterior labels are needed. Whenever anyone in the public eye appears in public the make and cost of their clothing is almost instantly available.
Princess Kate, Michelle Obama, Melania Trump, sell out clothing lines within hours. You might not be paying attention, but many people do. Maybe you remember the storm after Ann Romney appeared on TV in an 1800 dollar tee shirt?

As long as she would like to be a senior administration official she should refrain from promoting her own business.
And I do remember the Ann Romney thing. It was over the cost, implying she was out-of-touch with the commoners, not that she was somehow profiting from it. And that was dumb, too.
 
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