Former President Donald Trump’s top ally in the Senate is working to block the nomination of the government’s top anti-corruption official until after Inauguration Day — a tactic designed to give Trump the power to choose his own ethics monitor if he wins the election.

In a move reminiscent of Republicans blocking confirmation hearings for President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee until after the 2016 election, U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) recently said in a speech on the Senate floor that the confirmation of a new ethics official should not move forward until after the 2016 election. the election is decided. Lee took the opposite position when Trump had the chance to fill a Supreme Court seat in late 2020, demanding that the nomination be made before that year’s election.

At issue is the top post in the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, the federal agency responsible for monitoring compliance with federal anti-corruption laws, which has been vacant for more than a year. This position – which is appointed for a five-year term so that it overlaps administrations – is essential during a presidential transition, since the office reviews new White House appointees to ensure they follow laws on ethics.

That involves deciding whether the president and top White House officials should divest their personal financial assets to comply with laws prohibiting financial conflicts of interest in their government roles. The office can also offer massive tax breaks to those who divest their holdings.

If Trump appoints Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, to a position in his administration, an idea for both men to have floatedThe Office of Government Ethics could find itself overseeing the conflicts of interest of the world’s richest man, whose companies hold billions in public procurement. As THE Lever recently reportedA little-known provision of the tax code could allow Musk to receive a gargantuan tax break if he is appointed to an official position in a second Trump administration and forced to divest some of his holdings.

In September 2023, President Joe Biden appointed David Huitema, who currently manages the State Department’s ethics program, to take the position at the Office of Government Ethics, replacing former director Emory Rounds, a Trump appointee whose term had ended. two months ago.

However, despite Huitema’s words seasoned career as an ethics lawyer, more than a year after his nomination, he still hasn’t been confirmed to be the office’s next director — thanks in part to interference from Lee, a former Trump opponent who is has since become one of his greatest opponents. ardent supporters and is considered a likely candidate for attorney general if Trump comes to power.

With the 2024 election just days away, insiders say a leadership vacuum at the Office of Government Ethics makes it increasingly likely the position will remain vacant until the next administration takes office – which could allow Trump, if he wins on November 5, to choose manually. its own ethics chief.

“Traditionally, this position has always been filled before the transition,” said Virginia Canter, chief ethics adviser at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group that fights political and money corruption. black. That creates uncertainty as the election approaches, Canter said.

The Office of Government Ethics’ mission is to combat political corruption in the executive branch. He is responsible for enforcing ethics laws for federal officials, including the president and his closest entourage. It holds public officials accountable for disengaging from conflicts of interest and ensures they disclose their business dealings and finances to the public.

Experts have been warning for a long time that the agency does not have the authority or resources it needs to effectively combat corruption. During the first Trump administration, former President fought with the ethics officer at the time, Walter Shaub, tempting to avoid disclosure of corporate lobbyists working for the administration and resisting disclosure of his own finances.

This election season, Trump is again flouting anti-corruption rules. His campaign has so far failed to sign a White House transition plan, including ethics rules intended to avoid conflicts of interest, to move toward a transfer of power after the November election.

Under a second Trump administration, the Office of Government Ethics would once again have to face the former president — and his political appointees. This time around, Trump’s inner circle could include Musk.

“I think it’s very likely that in a second Trump administration, it would be a Trump appointee who would decide whether Elon Musk could get a massive tax break,” said Shaub, the former director of the Office of the President. governmental ethics. Lever.