Headline: Trump Administration Abandons Enforcement of Law Prohibiting Bribery of Foreign Officials
In a surprise move, the Trump administration has announced that it will cease to enforce a key anti-corruption law, which prohibits the bribery of foreign officials. The decision has sparked widespread outrage and concerns among anti-corruption advocates, who warn that it will embolden corruption and undermine global efforts to combat graft.
The law in question, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), was enacted in 1977 to prevent U.S. companies and individuals from bribing foreign officials to secure business or other benefits. The law has been widely praised as a landmark achievement in the fight against corruption, and has been emulated by many other countries around the world.
The Trump administration’s decision to stop enforcing the law was made public through a quiet regulatory change, rather than a formal announcement or press conference. The move was first reported by the Washington Post, which revealed that the U.S. Department of Justice had sent a memo to prosecutors and officials informing them that the department would no longer pursue cases related to FCPA violations, effective immediately.
The decision is seen as a major setback for anti-corruption efforts, and has been criticized by lawmakers and Good Government advocates. "This is a shocking and disheartening move," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a leading critic of the Trump administration. "The FCPA has been a key tool in the fight against corruption, and its enforcement is crucial to preventing corrupt activity. By abandoning its enforcement, the Trump administration is effectively greenlighting bribery and corruption."
Experts warn that the move will have far-reaching consequences, from undermining anti-corruption efforts worldwide to encouraging further corruption and graft. "This is not just a problem for the United States or foreign governments – it’s a problem for the entire global economy," said Transparency International, a leading anti-corruption watchdog. "Corruption erodes trust, creates an uneven playing field, and can lead to serious economic consequences. The Trump administration’s decision will only make things worse."
The decision is seen as part of a broader pattern of anti-regulatory actions by the Trump administration, which has seen a wholesale attack on environmental, labor, and social protections. The move has also been interpreted as a major blow to the U.S. reputation as a champion of good governance and anti-corruption efforts.
The FCPA has been used in numerous high-profile cases, including the 2011 conviction of entertainer and entrepreneur Allen Weisselberg, who was found to have bribed foreign officials to secure business deals. In another notable case, a former executive at energy company Halliburton was fined $11.2 million in 2017 for violating the FCPA by bribing Nigerian officials to secure a contract.
The Trump administration’s decision to stop enforcing the FCPA is seen as a major retreat in the fight against corruption, and has sparked widespread discontent among anti-corruption advocates, lawmakers, and good governance groups. As the global community continues to grapple with the implications of this move, one thing is clear: the Trump administration’s decision to abandon enforcement of the FCPA is a major setback for the fight against corruption.
