Elaine Chao is the latest member of Trump’s orbit to be accused of abusing her power while serving as Transportation Secretary from January 2017 to January 2020.
According to a damning new report released by the Department of Transportation’s inspector general, Chao committed four kinds of ethics violations when she repeatedly used her staff and her position of power to call in personal favors.
The report alleges that Chao invited family members to tag along on a work trip and instructed DOT public affairs staff to help promote her dad’s shipping business, market his book and book tour, and edit his Wikipedia page.
The report also alleges that she directed DOT staff to look into a work permit application for someone connected to her family’s philanthropic foundation, as well as run personal errands, like sending Christmas ornaments to her family and asking a repair shop to expedite her request by telling them she was Secretary of Transportation.
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Looks like Mitch McConnell and his wife Elaine Chao were misusing her position of power to enhance their own wealth.
SHOCKER.
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) March 4, 2021
“Secretary Chao used her official position and taxpayer resources for the benefit of herself and her family,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who serves as chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, said in a statement.
“Secretary Chao’s flagrant abuse of her office provides further evidence that additional ethics and transparency reforms are needed.”
Chao has denied any wrongdoing and the inspector general’s office ultimately said it does not plan to pursue the case further “based on the lack of prosecutorial interest” from the Justice Department.
Trump DOJ declined to investigate Elaine Chao, Mitch McConnell’s wife
Mitch voted to acquit Trump
The Q in GQP stands for Quid Pro Quo
— Lindy Li (@lindyli) March 3, 2021
Prior to working for the Trump administration, Chao worked in President Bush’s Labor department where she was accused of ignoring anti-LGBT discrimination.
In 2015, she accepted $50,000 to give a five minute speech at an event hosted by the vehemently antigay Iranian militant group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq.
And, of course, she’s campaigned for years on behalf of her homophobic husband, obstructionist and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Chao resigned as Transportation Secretary one day after the January 6 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol. The position is now held by Pete Buttigieg, who made a point to distance himself from his predecessor’s ethics woes as soon as he took over.
A spokesperson for the DOT says Buttigieg “made it a point to have an ethics briefing during his very first day on the job” and that he is “committed to upholding the highest ethical standards for himself and his team at the Department of Transportation.”
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
novadude
I know someone who worked under this cow. She’s as narcissistic as Trump so of course she’d abuse her authority to line her own purse.
The only thing that surprises me by these tRump-orbit revelations is that anyone is still surprised! They are *all* crooked to the core.
cameronpeak
Invitation to a sex club – xmeet.fun
Cam
Typical Republican. She’s worth $40 million dollars, but steals tax dollars to cover a few hundred dollars in Christmas shopping.
Chrisk
I was thinking the same thing You got to ask yourself why would someone like this wealthy bitch want a civil servant job that paid peanuts compared to her vast wealth? Corupt and greedy. Never enough Chow for Chao.
What a feeding frenzy when Dotard was POTUS. Damn.
Creamsicle
I think we’re not going to learn the extend of the corruption in the Trump White House until all the perpetrators are dead and buried. By that time, we’ll be nusy grappling with the Climate Crisis that we’re refusing the deal with now.
sadiedog63
Now its time ti investigate her husband as well, moscow mitchs name is all over this. Check his off shore accounts and see how many rubles these 2 con artists have taken from the kremlin. They’re both lying cheating, racist, bigoted thieves. Time for the FBI too launch their own investigation on both of these green bottle flies. Time for the giant Nike flip flop douche bag moscow mitch to thoroughly investigated.
Mister P
He didn’t drain the swamp. He put them in charge.
joeboyle49
NO HE DIDN’T DRAIN THE SWAMP HE FILLED IT UP EVEN MORE THEN IT WAS BEFORE! THEY NEED TO ROUND TEM ALL UP AND CHARGEN THEM ALL WTH FEDERAL CRIMES!!
trsxyz
I’m disappointed about the “lack of prosecutorial interest” by the Justice Department in pursuing this any further.
Jim
LOCK HER UP!!!
Liquid Silver
Why are we bothering? She’s a Republican, married to THE Republican Senator. Nobody’s going to do anything about it, and even if they do, nothing will ever get done. And nobody will remember it ten minutes from now anyway.
Max
we shouldn’t forget or forgive them for this. but you may be right that not much will be done to punish them.
Mister P
The new attorney general has not been confirmed yet. He will probably be interested.
scotty
this just in;
water is wet.
Karlis
Remember that movie “Crazy Rich Asians?” She was a template for most of the characters.
Max
what’s pathetic is staff from her office saying that it was a cultural thing. the McConnell-and-Chao-supportive jerks that worked from them are also non-patriots by allowing the rape of the government office of even the smallest amount of resources for personal use.