Donald Trump’s pledge to “drain the swamp” of lobbyists and special interests around Washington is looking more and more like nothing but empty campaign rhetoric.
According to an article this week by USA Today, the “swamp” is just as high as ever. The only thing that has changed is those who thrive in it are now friends of Trump’s and of his vice president, Mike Pence.
According to the national newspaper’s analysis, former campaign aides, fundraisers and others with ties to the new administration have received more than $2.2 million in lobbying fees in the first three months since Trump took office.
About half of that money has gone to Brian Ballard, a Trump fundraiser and longtime Florida lobbyist. Ballard has signed up 20 federal clients since opening a Washington office this year.
What’s going on is no different than what’s happened for decades in D.C. Those who help a president get elected cash in on their connections.
Those who thought Trump, whose business was built on connections, would stop this were naive.
