A prominent Washington watchdog group has sued Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Trump, trying to block him from serving as one of the administration’s top envoys without disclosing his personal finances and potential conflicts of interest. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington argues that Kushner’s role as a chief negotiator in the most prominent ongoing foreign policy concerns of the US means he should be considered an official government employee and comply with all relevant requirements, the AP reports. The White House has repeatedly said Kushner remains a private citizen and is doing his diplomatic duties on a volunteer basis.
Kushner and Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy, are considered the president’s closest diplomats. Neither is confirmed by the Senate. Witkoff is a formal employee, though the wealthy investor does not draw a taxpayer-funded salary. The lawsuit contends Kushner is representing the US while simultaneously running an investment firm that manages billions of dollars of foreign-owned assets. “While his personal business interests abroad raise serious conflict-of-interest concerns, he has not been properly vetted for his government role,” reads the complaint, filed Wednesday. “And he has evaded transparency obligations that aim to ensure that he exercises government authority for the good of the American people and not himself.” The Constitution’s appointments clause and a post-Watergate ethics law are meant to ensure that federal officials are properly vetted and that their assets are adequately disclosed.