CBS reports possible pay to play scheme for Ambassador appointments.

[Thekri]

So we all know how Trump hires the best people, right? Well apparently some of them are pretty confident Ambassador positions are for sale.

Possible pay-to-play scheme for ambassador role in Trump administration uncovered by CBS News

Interesting article, with a lot of key points of concern all along the way. So Doug Manchester donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund, along with the stated recommendation that he be the Ambassador to the Bahamas. He received his appointment one day into the Trump presidency. As bad as this is, it is actually not the central scandal (Despite being clear bribery).

The key problem came nearly two years later, with Manchester's appointment still stuck in committee, due to the fact that he was completely unqualified and unable to pass the vote on the Senate floor. During this stalemate, Ronna McDaniel (You should know the name, but RNC Committee Chair) asked Manchester for a small donation of $500,000. The reply Manchester sent was staggering in its blatancy.

As you know I am not supposed to do any, but my wife is sending a contribution for $100,000. Assuming I get voted out of the [Foreign Relations Committee] on Wednesday to the floor we need you to have the majority leader bring it to a majority vote … Once confirmed, I our [sic] family will respond!

So not only was this blatent bribery (Again), he made matters even more transparent by sending it to staffers from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Crazytown), and Sen. Jim Risch (R-Potatoland), the two senators controlling his nomination in committee.

Faced with an obvious bribe, Rand Paul did nothing, but Jim Risch sent correspondence to the White House demanding that Manchester's nomination be withdrawn, which it was.

So we have a rather fascinating look here at how broken and corrupt every facet of the GOP establishment is. We all knew the White House would nominate you for anything if you give enough money, but the RNC committee seems totally ok with paying for expedited service, there is at least the impression that McDaniel would pressure McConnell for a floor vote for enough money, and Rand Paul seems to be on board with bribery as well.

Props to Risch for being the sole player in this mess that seems to acknowledge bribery as wrong. I guess he wins the prize for achieving the level of Basic Human Decency for the day.

[Breccia]

So we all know how Trump hires the best people, right?

Sondland was a major donor. From public sources alone, we know Sondland gave Trump's campaign $4 million and Sondland later gave Trump's inauguration -- you know, the ones Russians paid to attend -- another million on top of that.

Then he was made an ambassador.

Now I'll be honest, I have no idea how often stuff like this happens. But based on current events, Sondland is probably wishing he'd kept that money. I'm honestly not sure why $5 million is worth being an ambassador, this isn't Lethal Weapon 2 here.

[Thekri]

Sondland was a major donor. From public sources alone, we know Sondland gave Trump's campaign $4 million and Sondland later gave Trump's inauguration -- you know, the ones Russians paid to attend -- another million on top of that.

Then he was made an ambassador.

Now I'll be honest, I have no idea how often stuff like this happens. But based on current events, Sondland is probably wishing he'd kept that money. I'm honestly not sure why $5 million is worth being an ambassador, this isn't Lethal Weapon 2 here.

Right, which is why people bribing Trump to be an ambassador isn't the scandal here. It should be, but we already knew he does that. The Scandal is the RNC apparently offering to let people buy their way through the Senate confirmation process.

[Azadina]

Right, which is why people bribing Trump to be an ambassador isn't the scandal here. It should be, but we already knew he does that. The Scandal is the RNC apparently offering to let people buy their way through the Senate confirmation process.

How's that anything new either? Did you see the confirmation hearing of Betsy DeVos? What an utter joke. But bamm, pass. Why? Because she paid first. So that's something that has been happening from the very start of Trump reich. Not exactly shocking 3 years later, sadly.

[Belize]

Whhaaattt, are you saying that Trump mostly hired people that had given him lots of money, and not those that are qualified?

I am shocked.

[Paranoid Android]

Sondland was a major donor. From public sources alone, we know Sondland gave Trump's campaign $4 million and Sondland later gave Trump's inauguration -- you know, the ones Russians paid to attend -- another million on top of that.

Then he was made an ambassador.

Now I'll be honest, I have no idea how often stuff like this happens. But based on current events, Sondland is probably wishing he'd kept that money. I'm honestly not sure why $5 million is worth being an ambassador, this isn't Lethal Weapon 2 here.

I mean Sondland is a blatant recipient of this. Woody Johnson of Johnson&Johnson fame and also NY Jets owner is blatant as ambassador to Great Britain. Difference here sorta is EU is a little more responsibility in who you want as ambassador.

Now since I am a Woke Independent, this is happens in every Presidency since idk when. Obama did it. It's horrible and shouldn't be done. Yes, you get someone as corrupt and inept and Trump it gets very dangerous.

[Drutt]

What's with the huge donations to get appointed as an Ambassador? Surely they'll never see a financial return on that scale, so what's the attraction?

Just seems truly bizarre to me.

[Moralgy]

What's with the huge donations to get appointed as an Ambassador? Surely they'll never see a financial return on that scale, so what's the attraction?

Just seems truly bizarre to me.

If people are buying their way to a spot, there is a way to monitize it we aren't fully aware of atm. I doubt it is much different than how a politician can become a millionaire just from getting elected.

[Edge-]

What's with the huge donations to get appointed as an Ambassador? Surely they'll never see a financial return on that scale, so what's the attraction?

Just seems truly bizarre to me.

It's not terribly uncommon for big donor's to be "rewarded" with ambassador posts to "less important" countries, it's why we have amusing clips of them being interviewed by Congress and telling them that not only do they not speak the language of the country they're to be posted to, but they've never even been to the country they're to be posted to.

But it's usually not this obvious, and they're not hitting up people for donations in return for ambassador posts. This is far more explicit than anything I've ever seen before.

And they won't see a direct return, but they stand to potentially see huge peripheral returns. It gives them a much higher stature globally (even if they were posted to a tiny country), it can open a huge number of doors with power players (either smaller regional ones or simply by giving them opportunities to network with bigger players at diplomatic events), and it's nice when you get to brag to your friends at the Country Club that you're an important ambassador to...Micronesia. And then you need to explain what and where Micronesia is.

[wunksta]

What's with the huge donations to get appointed as an Ambassador? Surely they'll never see a financial return on that scale, so what's the attraction?

Just seems truly bizarre to me.

https://webcache.googleusercontent.c...&ct=clnk&gl=us

[Xeones]

Honestly I do believe this is something basically every president has done, to some degree, when it comes to some ambassador appointments.

But I don't believe they've ever gone back and said "We need more money for your appointment". That takes this to a different level.

[Edge-]

But I don't believe they've ever gone back and said "We need more money for your appointment". That takes this to a different level.

I don't think there has been.

Under normal circumstances this would likely be a significant scandal. But it's fucking pedestrian compared to the rest of the shit this administration is engaged in, so it gets an eyeroll before we all quickly move on.