President-elect Donald Trump named his son-in-law to be one of his top advisers in the White House, sparking new questions Monday over nepotism and how he’ll run the Oval Office.
Jared Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump, played a major role in last year’s campaign and he and his wife had already been house-shopping in Washington to prepare for some role in Donald Trump’s administration.
In making him a senior adviser, Mr. Trump spares Mr. Kushner from having to face confirmation — but still faces questions of propriety.
“Jared has been a tremendous asset and trusted advisor throughout the campaign and transition and I am proud to have him in a key leadership role in my administration,” Mr. Trump said. “He has been incredibly successful, in both business and now politics. He will be an invaluable member of my team as I set and execute an ambitious agenda, putting the American people first.”
Republicans on Capitol Hill said the arrangement may need to be probed, while Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee went further and have already demanded an investigation.
One issue is whether anti-nepotism laws apply to the White House. While the key statute doesn’t make that explicit, Democrats said in their letter to the Justice Department and the Office of Government Ethics that other parts of law make clear the White House should be included.
SEE ALSO: Jared Kushner appointment: No consensus on anti-nepotism law and Trump’s son-in-law’s post
Beyond that, Mr. Kushner would be in a position to make decisions on matters that affect the Trump Organization, which his wife is still involved with, the Democrats said.
They said that even if Mr. Kushner declines a salary in an attempt to get around the laws, that could put him afoul of another statute that generally prevents federal employees from accepting voluntary services.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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