Trump and Cronies Hijack 250th Birthday Bash to Create Hyperpartisan, Corporate-Funded Trump Tribute
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The New York Times reported today that Trump allies are soliciting corporate and individual donations for a new group, Freedom 250, which appears designed to hijack the official, bipartisan organization set up to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and create a financial black box ripe for influence-peddling.
In response, Public Citizen’s co-presidents issued the following statements:
“Trump and his cronies appear to be diverting taxpayer money and mixing it with corporate donations from ExxonMobil, Deloitte, Palantir, Mastercard and other unknown sources in an off-the-books effort to boost Trump and Trumpism instead of actually celebrating our country’s 250th anniversary. Congress must investigate these troubling revelations, including what appears to be a misuse of a congressionally created foundation intended to support our national parks and the potential diversion of taxpayer funds for highly partisan purposes,” said Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen.
“An official celebration of American history at this milestone moment should celebrate America’s actual history, including the role of social movements in driving forward progress against forces of oppression and authoritarianism. It should not elevate religion, let alone a particular religion, nor aim to censor America’s true story. Donald Trump and his henchmen have sabotaged what should ben a unifying moment and appear intent on instead creating a highly divisive, corporate-funded, ideologically extremist exercise. Once again, nothing is sacred in the Trump administration, not even the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Everything is for sale to corporate and potentially foreign interests,” added Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen.