The son-in-law of Donald Trump, and husband of Ivanka, Jared Kushner, is said to be divesting himself of large swathes of his commercial holdings ahead of being named senior adviser in the new administration.
US President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name his son-in-law to a position of senior adviser in his administration, even as questions swirl around the legality of the move.
Jared Kushner has been a close adviser to Trump throughout his presidential campaign, and is expected to continue in a comparable role once Trump occupies the White House.
But to do so he will have to clear several hurdles. Most notably, he will have to argue that a federal anti-nepotism law, which prohibits officials from appointing relatives to government positions, does not apply to him - a son-in-law. Kushner is married to Trump's oldest daughter, Ivanka.
"Mr. Kushner is committed to complying with federal ethics laws and we have been consulting with the Office of Government Ethics regarding the steps he would take," said Jamie Gorelick, a partner at the law firm of WilmerHale, in a statement. "Although plans are not finalized, Mr. Kushner would resign from his position at Kushner Companies and divest substantial assets in accordance with federal guidelines."
Gorelick added that Kushner "would recuse (himself) from particular matters that would have a direct and predictable effect on his remaining financial interests. He would also abide by federal rules requiring impartiality in particular matters involving specific parties."
The New York Times reported that his title could be adjusted to fit within the confines of the law.
Vast real estate holdings
Kushner, like his father-in-law, is a major New York-based real estate developer with a vast web of business dealings that pose potential conflicts of interest. Kushner Companies took part in deals worth in approximately $7 billion (6.6 billion euros) over the past decade.
A federal nepotism law was passed in 1967 after then-president John F. Kennedy appointed his brother, Robert, attorney general. The law prohibits any president from hiring a relative. Trump's advisers believe they have more wiggle-room with a would-be appointment to the White House, as opposed to a Cabinet position.
While Trump himself is also facing unprecedented conflict of interest questions, some of his supporters believe such questions regarding family members apply only to Cabinet positions, not jobs in the White House.
"The anti-nepotism law apparently has an exception if you want to work in the West Wing, because the president is able to appoint his own staff," Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said in December. "The president does have discretion to choose a staff of his liking."
Conway and others have cited as an example former President Bill Clinton and his decision to put his wife Hillary in charge of health care reform in the 1990s.
US President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name his son-in-law to a position of senior adviser in his administration, even as questions swirl around the legality of the move.
Jared Kushner has been a close adviser to Trump throughout his presidential campaign, and is expected to continue in a comparable role once Trump occupies the White House.
But to do so he will have to clear several hurdles. Most notably, he will have to argue that a federal anti-nepotism law, which prohibits officials from appointing relatives to government positions, does not apply to him - a son-in-law. Kushner is married to Trump's oldest daughter, Ivanka.
"Mr. Kushner is committed to complying with federal ethics laws and we have been consulting with the Office of Government Ethics regarding the steps he would take," said Jamie Gorelick, a partner at the law firm of WilmerHale, in a statement. "Although plans are not finalized, Mr. Kushner would resign from his position at Kushner Companies and divest substantial assets in accordance with federal guidelines."
Gorelick added that Kushner "would recuse (himself) from particular matters that would have a direct and predictable effect on his remaining financial interests. He would also abide by federal rules requiring impartiality in particular matters involving specific parties."
The New York Times reported that his title could be adjusted to fit within the confines of the law.
Vast real estate holdings
Kushner, like his father-in-law, is a major New York-based real estate developer with a vast web of business dealings that pose potential conflicts of interest. Kushner Companies took part in deals worth in approximately $7 billion (6.6 billion euros) over the past decade.
A federal nepotism law was passed in 1967 after then-president John F. Kennedy appointed his brother, Robert, attorney general. The law prohibits any president from hiring a relative. Trump's advisers believe they have more wiggle-room with a would-be appointment to the White House, as opposed to a Cabinet position.
While Trump himself is also facing unprecedented conflict of interest questions, some of his supporters believe such questions regarding family members apply only to Cabinet positions, not jobs in the White House.
"The anti-nepotism law apparently has an exception if you want to work in the West Wing, because the president is able to appoint his own staff," Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said in December. "The president does have discretion to choose a staff of his liking."
Conway and others have cited as an example former President Bill Clinton and his decision to put his wife Hillary in charge of health care reform in the 1990s.
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