Pay for play

The partisans of Donald Trump will excuse his embryonic administration for anything, it appears.   Listening to all of the rationales the apologists have raised regarding his sons' fundraising for a charity by offering palling around with themselves as a premium for big donors is truly an exercise in   hypocrisy.

 During the campaign Trump had called Hillary Clinton crooked in part because he claimed big donors to the Clinton foundation were buying access to her while she was Secretary of State. There was never any proof that the  Clinton foundation donors got special treatment, even when they were allies of the US. (A Saudi prince was referred to normal diplomatic channels when he attempted to cash in  about which the Trump partisans attempted to show an actual connection).

The issue has nothing to do with whether the charity was worthy (nor was there any evidence the Clinton Foundation did not do good deeds or was not well managed, getting  high ratings from charity monitors).  The issue has nothing to do with whether Pres Bill Clinton rewarded donors to campaigns with a  night  in the Lincoln Bedroom...because that was wrong, too.  Two wrongs do not make a right.  The issue is whether the reward of rubbing elbows with family who have the ear of Pres. Trump is ethical is pay to play.  That is the question and it is difficult to see how  it does not look like pay for play.  The Trump sons were right to withdraw their association with the charity drive, that what was once considered ethical  has changed now that their father is president elect.  The Trump family understood that even if their fanatical supporters do not.