Progressive think tank launches tracker of Donald Trump appointees’ potential conflicts of interest

Image via AP.

A Washington-based think tank and progressive lobbying group wants to keep tabs on the outside influences that President-elect Donald Trump’s appointees may be susceptible to once they’re part of his administration.

To that end, the group, Public Citizen, just launched a conflicts-of-interest tracker.

There are nine names there so far. Among them: billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who will co-helm a forthcoming Department of Government Efficiency; longtime Florida political consultant Susie Wiles, whom Trump selected as his Chief of Staff; and former U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, who is slated for Transportation Secretary.

Musk’s conflicts, according to the tracker, include his companies SpaceX, Tesla and X. All are under federal scrutiny.

Wiles’ potential conflicts stem from her myriad lobbying clients that include Northern Dynasty Minerals, which has sued the Environmental Protection Agency, and SI Group Client Services, the parent company of the Swisher Sweets cigar brand.

Duffy, meanwhile, has lobbied on behalf of Partnership for Open Skies — a coalition of U.S. aviation groups including American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Airlines — and auto manufacturer Polaris Inc.

A press note from Public Citizen, which was founded in 1971 by activist lawyer and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, said the tracker will be updated regularly “as appointments are made and nominees are considered.”

“The American people deserve to know who these appointees are — and who they’re really serving while in power. We created this tracker to be a resource for journalists, researchers, public interest advocates, and ordinary citizens who are interested in learning about the people who will soon be leading the Executive Branch,” Public Citizen Co-President Lisa Gilbert said in a statement.

“If and when these appointees abuse their power to serve corporate interests or make a quick buck, you can be sure that Public Citizen will be there to expose them.”

Anyone hoping a second Trump term would see him follow through on his promise to “drain the swamp” will surely be disappointed, added Public Citizen Co-President Robert Weissman.

“Donald Trump may have run for office pretending he was going to advocate for regular people, but his appointments show in reality he’s planning to govern, again, on behalf of the corporate class,” he said. “The man who once said he was going to drain the swamp is instead flooding it.”

Other trackers Public Citizen recently rolled out focus on following state legislation designed to protect elected officials and elections and to curb certain AI-generated images and videos.

The group undertook a similar but less organized Trump-focused project during his first term called “Tracking Trump’s Corporate Cronies.” It ran from Nov. 14, 2016, to March 2, 2020.