News Release

Will Trump Break His Pledge to “Drain the Swamp”?

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untitled-ffffRICK CLAYPOOL, rclaypool [at] citizen.org, via Karilyn Gower, kgower [at] citizen.org, @RickClaypool
Claypool is research director for Public Citizen’s president’s office. He just wrote the report “Donald Trump, Clean Government Reformer?” which compiles promises from Trump on clean government and economic policy.

The report highlights the closing Trump campaign ad, in which he states: “Our movement is about replacing a failed and corrupt political establishment with a new government controlled by you, the American people.” Just some of the many other Trump statements the report highlights:

“I will Make Our Government Honest Again — believe me. But first, I’m going to have to #DrainTheSwamp in D.C.”

“I am going to expand the definition of LOBBYIST – so we close all the LOOPHOLES!”

“I am going to ask my senior officials to sign an agreement not to accept speaking fees from corporations with a registered lobbyist for five years after leaving office, or from any entity tied to a foreign government.”

“The rich will pay their fair share, but no one will pay so much that it destroys jobs, or undermines our ability to compete. As part of this reform, we will eliminate the Carried Interest Deduction and other special interest loopholes that have been so good for Wall Street investors, and people like me, but unfair to American workers.”

“We have an amazing tax plan. We’re going to be reducing taxes for the middle class, but for the hedge fund guys, they’re going to be paying up.”

“There is total control of the candidates, I know it better than anybody that probably ever lived. And I will tell you this, I know the system far better than anybody else and I know the system is broken. And I’m the one, because I know it so well because I was on both sides of it, I was on the other side all my life and I’ve always made large contributions.

“And frankly, I know the system better than anybody else and I’m the only one up here that’s going to be able to fix that system because that system is wrong.”

“We can’t fix a rigged system by relying on the people who rigged it in the first place. We can’t solve our problems by relying on the politicians who created them. Only by changing to new leadership, and new solutions, will we get new results. We need to stop believing in politicians, and start believing in America. Before everything great that has ever happened, the doubters have always said it couldn’t be done.”