TRENTON — Though President Donald Trump has faced criticism by some for not separating himself more from his sprawling business empire as he assumed the Oval Office, his New Jersey-bred son-in-law, Jared Kushner, took great steps to avoid possible ethical problems as he took a job in the White House, according to a report by MSNBC.
That included steps for Kushner, a Livington native who now serves as a senior adviser in Trump’s administration, to break away from his real estate and publishing companies — both of which have strong ties to New Jersey.
MSNBC said emails it obtained showed Kushner’s lawyers worked on a divestment plan to avoid conflicts by conferring with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics — the same office that has clashed with Trump over his decision not to fully distance himself from his business.
The emails reveal that Kushner’s team prepared vigorously in late December and January, before he was appointed to his new job and while he faced questions about whether a federal anti-nepotism law would keep him from assuming the position, the news network said.
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The U.S. Justice Department later said a loophole allowed Kushner, the 26-year-old husband of Trump’s oldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, to take the job.
Kushner announced last month that he would step down as CEO of Kushner Companies, his family’s real estate business, which was founded in New Jersey and owns several properties in the state. He also vowed to resign as head of Observer Media, which publishes the New York Observer and PolitickerNJ, a website that tracks Garden State politics.
Trump, meanwhile, announced last month that he would relinquish control of the day-to-day operations of his business to his sons and put his business assets into a trust.
But the Republican president did not do what some experts said he should: sell his assets and put the money into a blind trust, as many recent presidents have done.
Trump has argued that such moves aren’t needed because the president is exempt from conflicts of interest.
Trump’s business portfolio includes three private golf clubs he owns in New Jersey.
Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
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