The Executive Branch of Government currently enjoys about a 36 percent approval rating. So, when I say “no one” trusts the government, ethically I should say about 3 out of 10 Americans, trust the characters who represent us. The “approval” applies to Republicans and Democrats alike.
U.S. Representative Jeff Fortenberry
Fortenberry is our congressperson du jour. The Republican serves Nebraska’s 1st District. And, according to the Department of Justice he:
“Was found guilty by a federal jury (April 2022) of concealing information and making false statements to federal authorities who were investigating illegal contributions made by a foreign national to the congressman’s 2016 re-election campaign.”
The congressman, who has been “representing the people” will go before a judge on June 28, 2022, and could be looking at 15 years in the slammer. He lied to federal agents about illegal contributions to his campaign.
Interestingly, the $30,000 contribution (and in the end, that’s all it was) didn’t come from American taxpayers but from billionaire Gilbert Chagoury, who as a foreigner, is prohibited from making donations to an American member of congress. Instead, the money came through a fake group of supporters who showed up at a fundraiser. It is an illegal activity.
As it unfolded, Chagoury forked over $180,000 to four different political candidates to influence U.S. elections. Chagoury was forced to pay a $1.8 million fine. Why would a foreign national do such a thing? Influence.
If a foreign billionaire business person can influence four candidates by donating to their campaigns, it results in a great deal of leverage. Chagoury was apparently under the microscope as well as Fortenberry. The billionaire businessman, born in Nigeria to Lebanese parents, made vast sums of money in construction and manufacturing. He was obviously looking to illegally sway legislation.
Why, or when, the host of the 2016 fundraiser began to feed the Feds information is not known, but it might have been done out of fear after the realization that the government was looking into the congressman’s activities.
Trying his luck
In the spring of 2018, Fortenberry was thinking about doing another fundraiser. In that call, another person allegedly told Fortenberry that yet another foreign national specifically helped re-route Chagoury’s $30,000 cash to route to Fortenberry’s campaign at the 2016 fundraiser.
In 2018 and 2019, Fortenberry had two interviews with government lawyers who were investigating Chagoury, and in both cases, Fortenberry denied any hint that the campaign contributions were illegally made. In fact, he allegedly told them that “he would be horrified” to learn of such contributions to his campaign. The congressman tried his luck and ultimately lost.
However, it brings to mind much deeper, ethical questions. Circling back around, it amazes me that four political candidates were bribed by a foreign influencer. It makes me wonder how often this happens and, more so, how many times it was never reported? Does this not suggest a broader problem is in play?
Fortenberry, under oath at least twice, denied taking illegal contributions, even though he obviously knew of its source. He obviously knew it was a problem and that it was against campaign finance laws. Why did he cover it up? What was his rationalization? He might have thought he was above the law, or that $30,000 would never be traced, or much worse – that the laws did not apply to him.
Suppose, I wonder if many in congress feel the laws don’t apply to them? It is a frightening ethical question with no good answer.
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