Nepotism Laws Don't Apply to Jared Kushner, DOJ Says
Nepotism Laws Don't Apply to Jared Kushner, DOJ Says
Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, has been approved to work in the Trump administration as an unpaid adviser, the Justice Department announced on Saturday. The early morning memo said that Kushner's appointment would not violate federal anti-nepotism laws, despite concerns about ethical gray areas.
"We conclude that section 3110 [of the U.S. Code] does not bar this appointment," according to the 14-page memo from the Justice Department. "We believe that the President's special hiring authority in 3 U.S.C. 105(a) permits him to make appointments to the White House Office that the anti-nepotism statute might otherwise forbid."
Public officials cannot appoint, employ or advocate for family members for roles in their administrations. The laws, however, apply specifically to government agencies, like the Department of Homeland Security or the Treasury. Kushner's role as an adviser within the White House would not fall into this category.