This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As concerned constituents and others, we implore Rep. Jason Chaffetz to investigate the potential conflicts of interest posed by Donald Trump.
With each passing day, ethical concerns about his looming presidency continue to arise. As noted by Jordan Libowitz of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, "What we've seen so far is not an administration avoiding the appearance of conflicts of interest but one actively courting it. The president-elect of the United States just brought in the heads of many of America's largest companies to meet with him and the executives of his personal business. He is relying on the senior leadership of his business to help him pick Cabinet officials. There is no explicable reason for his children to be so involved with the running of the government if their focus on the health of Trump's business interests is what is supposed to allow him to avoid conflicts."
We furthermore question Chaffetz' refusal to join with other congressional leaders in investigating the Russian role in the U.S. election. Recent new sources suggest that Vladimir Putin himself was behind the hacking of U.S. sites, and that Trump was long aware of this. We have to wonder why he is not concerned with protecting the integrity of our electoral process.
Chaffetz found the zeal to hound Hillary Clinton for years for so-called criminal behavior, even though she has been exonerated repeatedly by others. This was a waste of time and taxpayer money, and now before us are much more substantive issues that go to the very heart of our democracy.
Pre-emptive action should be taken now. We have a feeling that the government oversight committee headed by Chaffetz is going to be very busy with Trump in the next few years. It is our hope that it can spare the country at least some pain by examining his financial situation, including his tax returns, in advance of his inauguration.
Kathryn Allen, Craig Fineshriber, Alexis Ashworth, Nancy Trunnell, Chris Helfrich, Julia Vinson, Kathleen Sedgwick, Tammy Hinckley, Heather Bruce, Jaimee Christensen, Erin O'Brien, Linda Marion, Corina Johnson, Georgette Kitchen, Wendy Bradshaw, Marji Hanson, Marilyn Bushman-Carlton, Mary Caputo, Kelly Rieben, Sally Wright, Jana Steele, Laura Wolf, Emily Smith, MaríadelMar González-González, Brienne Henderson, Kim Hansen, Sandra Jense-Forgach, Angie Bush, Whitney Olsen-McGruder, Camron Duke Bills, Kathleen Lung, Mark Levitt, Vanessa Tuckett, Christy Bills, Deedra Hansen Lambert, Jane Owings-Schaefermeyer, Cecilia Larkin Webber, Nancy Taylor, Barbara Williamson, Laurel Wright, Jennifer McCormick, Ann and Lance Morris, Terry Thomas, Anne Tatti, Marie Van Roosendaal, Bonnie Bernstein Larson, Virginia Nell Rainey, Emily Lamberty, Caroline Keller Phinney, Kelly Jones, Rachel Johnson, Phronsie Buckner-Bury, Robin Mazzone, Stephanie Olson Reeder, Nick Hales, Ashley Lane Aedo, Nicky Foy Griffin, Elizabeth Hill-Bolling, Jill Christensen, Wendy Lee Yancy, Cathy Carr Campbell, Deborah Gerkes Kirk, Carrie Black, Katie Moose, Karen Sewell, Meg Earle, Caroline Gaudy, Angie Harris Roberts, Stacey E. Castor, Ph.D, Cynthia Jones, Ellen Betit, Laurie Stout Letz, Cathy Carr Campbell, Nancy Nelson, Tiffin West, Nicole Kelbert, Perrine Johnson Anderson, Shauna Griffin Shepherd, Joanne F. Avery, Megan R. Gary, Chiao-ih Denise Hui, Laurel Ross, Jody England Hansen, Susan Green, Jamie Maxwell, Cas Reich, Leann Gaydon Jones, Annie Allison Cheeng, Ashley Eccles Raymond, Anne Goldberg, Karen Walket-Flinn, Megan Ann Bisbee, Tay Gudmundson, Jana Steele, Staci Duke, Shawna Malcolm, Connie Dooley, Julie Eihausen, Jennifer Day Mattson, Kimberly Washburn Osmundson, Bret Hanna, Ericha Moncata Oberg, Gina L. Eborn, Lori Levinson, Kara Weatherbrr, Kim Saffell, Erin Pack-Jordan, Katie Korte, Anne-Marie Eastman, Nancy Kramer, Kate Shannon Margolis, Melissa Murphy, Kirsten Walgren Tulsian, Tasha Savage, Christine Brady, Carole Levine, Meghan Boyd, Ashley Sagers-Haug, Anne Innis, Suzanne Lowry, Kristina Stromness, Anna McNamer, Ellen Betit, Julie Howell, Barbara Jones Brown, Corina Donaghue-Johnson, Elizabeth Springborn, Stephanie Burbank, Beatrice Upenieks, Gincy Carrington Plummer, Nicole Butler, Judi Zarrella, Misty Shafer, Kirsten McKenney Obert, Gail Turpin, Kim Lenz Rathke, Mia Jo Manhart Allmark, Kathy Wiley, Judy Larsen, Cindy Blackburn, Iva McCaleb Williams, Wendy Bruening, Laura Lee Langton, Laura Farnsworth, Tamara Webb, Beth Manning, Geoff Partain, Charlotte Pack Bond, Liz Follis, Judy Kiel, Melissa Nikolai, Cara Adria Murphy, Juilianne Martin, Jennifer DeRosier, G. Morgan, Dennis Wignall, Cyndi Tadehara, Jennifer Glick Swan, Julie Stanton Glick, Dovie Peterson, Jane Tanski, Margie Gay, Maylene Burns White, Kathryn Torello, Bonnijane Black Monson, Sarah Buck, Annie Reeder Hawker, Rachel Posner, Tracy Townsend, Kelly Robison Yeates, Catherine Woolf, Karen Nielsen-Anson, Shannon Charlson, Lisa Groen, Ninoska Thomas, Cindy Roy Levine, Deborah McFarlane, Suzy Applegarth, Anne Godfrey, Carrie Johnston, Adrian Ward, Teri Orr, Amanda Jenson, Ashley Anderson, Aaron Garrett, Julie Wren, Cristina Coonradt, Katie Drew, Blaine L. Carlton, Jessica Elizabeth Weeks, Ellen Brady, Christy Silver, Alisa Carlton, Lori Bunker-Jensen, Valerie Astle, Liz Rank, Alyssa Sarkis, Krystal Keith, Ajk Butterfield, Susan Marques Booth, Audri Weeks Meador, Celestia Carson, Marilyn Johnson, Scott K. Fineshriber, Jodey Fey, Psarah Johnson, Lisa A. Marcy, Judy Shupe, Cindy Powell Abawi, Beth Thompson Bruce, Peter Monson, Marion Cornesecca Marcy, Erin Larsen Azar, Staci Duke, Kirsten Sherwin.