When Ronald Reagan entered the White House in 1981, he voluntarily placed the liquid assets from his $4 million fortune into a blind trust.
asserted
he → enter → trust
For decades, presidents across both parties followed a similar standard, freezing their personal business activities while in office so they could focus entirely on serving the American people.
uncertain
they → follow → people
It was a clear promise that the leader of our country would work for the public interest, not their own.
asserted
leader → work → interest
Today, that promise is being broken.
asserted
promise → break → ?
Through overseas business deals, crypto ventures, stock trading, corporate partnerships, and more, the presidency is being turned into a multibillion-dollar business opportunity.
asserted
presidency → turn → opportunity
Without clear guardrails, any future occupants of the White House, Democrats and Republicans alike, will have a clear playbook for putting their personal profit ahead of their public duties.
asserted
occupants → have → duties
A commander in chief focused on personal profit poses a serious risk to the nation.
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commander → focus → nation
Foreign adversaries will invest in the president’s company as an easy way to shape U.S. military, intelligence, and trade decisions, threatening America’s position as a global leader.
asserted
adversaries → invest → leader
Presidential profiteering also distorts our economy and undermines basic fairness.
asserted
profiteering → distort → fairness
Small businesses cannot compete on a level playing field alongside companies linked to the president.
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businesses → compete → president
This isn’t to say that a successful business leader shouldn’t be allowed to run for office.
asserted
leader → say → office
Wealth should not disqualify someone from serving their country.
asserted
Wealth → disqualify → country
But leaders should not profit while occupying a role meant solely for public service.
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leaders → profit → service
It threatens the free market when one person, wielding immense power and influence, can tilt the playing field toward their own financial interests.
asserted
person → threaten → interests
Think of it this way: If you own a small business and hire someone full-time, only to find out they’re stealing from the till and running a side business while on the clock, you would be outraged.
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you → think → clock
That’s exactly what’s happening here.
asserted
what → ’ → ?
The American people hired the president to lead the country, and that’s where his full focus belongs.
asserted
focus → hire → country
As an independent, nonpartisan watchdog holding power accountable across the aisle since 1970, Common Cause is urging Congress to pass a law barring the president and vice president from receiving outside income while in office, full stop.
asserted
Cause → hold → office
Presidents would make their official salary, and that’s it.
asserted
that → make → salary
Similar ethics safeguards already apply to other senior federal officials — extending the safeguard to the most powerful office in the land is simple commonsense.
asserted
extending → apply → land
This ban must be paired with a requirement to divest from any income-generating assets to shield leaders from conflicts of interest.
asserted
ban → pair → interest
To protect the free market, companies and individuals should also be barred from paying the president while in office.
asserted
companies → protect → office
And clear, enforceable penalties should be established for federal and state authorities to uphold.
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authorities → establish → ?
The ban would end once the president leaves office.
asserted
president → end → office
After that, they would be free to make millions again, in addition to their official pension.
asserted
they → make → pension
A profiteering ban is already popular — 77% of Americans believe a sitting president should not be allowed to profit from personal business ventures while in office, including majorities across all parties.
asserted
president → believe → parties
Now it’s on Congress to exercise the checks and balances granted by the Constitution to enforce fair rules.
asserted
it → ’ → rules
As voters look to the future of this election, we must ask every candidate running for office a simple question: Will you vote for clear rules that ensure the president is focused only on serving the American people?
asserted
president → look → people
She previously served as Director for Anti-Corruption on the National Security Council staff and advised senior officials at USAID, the State Department, and DoD.
asserted
She → serve → USAID
The Aporia
