Outgoing ethics chief: Trump ‘gives the appearance of profiting from the presidency’

The former White House ethics chief who resigned earlier this month said Wednesday that President Trump is giving the appearance of profiting from the presidency.

“It gives the appearance of profiting from the presidency and as you point out, it leaves us not knowing what is behind these interactions with the Russians,” Walter Shaub told CNN’s “New Day,” referencing examples including foreign governments choosing to host events at the Trump International Hotel rather than other locations.

Shaub, whose resignation is effective as of Wednesday, noted other current Cabinet officials, like Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who have successfully given up holdings to serve in Trump’s administration.

{mosads}“I’ve spent almost a decade and a half, actually I have spent a decade and a half, delivering the bad news to Cabinet officials and top presidential appointees that they have to sell off their assets, sometimes at a loss. And that’s the price of public service,” Shaub continued.

Shaub has slammed the White House ethics program under Trump, calling it a “serious disappointment.”

While Trump announced in January that he would hand over his business to his two oldest sons, some watchdogs groups have argued that the president should more fully divest from his holdings.

“So I don’t know why the president would be held to a lower standard than the people who work for him,” Shaub said Wednesday.

Shaub added that he was “horrified” when Trump’s attorney asked if the president could file his financial disclosure forms without signing them to certify the authenticity.

“I was horrified when I sat across the table from his attorney and she asked me if he could file it without signing to to certify that it was true,” he said.

Shaub said Trump did end up signing the forms to confirm their truth.