One of the hallmarks of government or corporate cronyism is inventing new paying jobs for your personal buddies because hey, that swamp ain't gonna spread itself.
President-elect Donald Trump has appointed his longtime corporate lawyer Jason Greenblatt to a new position as special representative for international negotiations in the Trump administration.
Greenblatt is currently the chief legal officer of the Trump Organization, Trump’s sprawling real estate and licensing company, where he represents Trump’s business interests in domestic and international negotiations.
The newly invented jobs are often a bit fuzzy, in terms of actual supposed duties, or are so broadly defined that your good friend can feel free to dabble in pretty much anything he wants to and still claim he’s doing, well, something.
In his announcement, Trump seemed to leave the door open for Greenblatt to be involved in a wide range of issues. “His talents lend themselves perfectly to the role I have asked him to play, assisting on international negotiations of all types, and trade deals around the world,” Trump said in a statement.
It's sometimes not even clear where—or if—the newly hired pal is expected to show up for work. Or who he's supposed to report to.
It was also unclear whether Greenblatt’s position would be based in the White House, or within another federal agency.
And it should go without saying that qualifications and experience are non-issues in a crony-based government. Their qualifications are that they know the guy in charge.
In exchange for this lucrative new position doing a dodgy something for an unknown somebody, however, the crony will obviously be expected to use his talents and new powers to do whatever best benefits the man who installed him in his newly invented position.
By naming Greenblatt to his administration, Trump is tapping someone who has limited experience in foreign affairs or trade policy, yet has expert knowledge of the multinational Trump Organization, and of what would be in the best interests of the company.
So, for example, a shameless crony might be in prime position to know what international deals would benefit his benefactor's private businesses and, it just so happens, hold a newly invented government post charged with negotiating those international deals.
A crony’s title is often a thing of ambiguous beauty, something that sounds like how mobsters might introduce their business associates in polite company—as an example, something like “representative for international negotiations.” "Representative for international negotiations" is a rather odd creation. Negotiating internationally is, for example, What The Whole Entire Damn State Department Is For. It is possible that the incompetent new boss doesn't know that. Or it is possible the new boss does now it, but expects their crony to do extra “negotiations” on the side, ones that don't involve the normal government chain of command.
To sum up, this has been a quick little romp through the hallways of what a deeply crooked government in a deeply corrupt country might look like. Thank goodness that could never happen here because the leader's ruling party will be holding him and all of his newly invented pseudo-official hangers-on like side negotiation guy and maybe some sort of substitute first lady with her own office and stuff? to the highest of ethical standards.