Jared Kushner to be named senior adviser to the president
(((CNN)))Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will be senior adviser to the president, a senior transition official told CNN Monday.
The 35-year-old businessman-turned-political strategist played a key part in his father-in-law's presidential campaign and his new position is expected to test the limit of federal anti-nepotism rules. The move comes ahead of a Wednesday news conference in which Trump is expected to detail how he plans to manage his company's potential conflicts-of-interest after he enters the White House.
Kushner plans to resign from the management positions he holds at his companies, including as CEO of Kushner Companies, publisher of The Observer and positions with other organizations, and will divest from a "significant number" of his assets to comply with government ethics rules, Kushner's attorney Jamie Gorelick told CNN on Monday.
Kushner also will not take a salary as he steps into the West Wing job, an official who briefed on behalf of the transition told reporters later on Monday.
Gorelick argued that the anti-nepotism statue which applies to presidential administrations excludes the White House office where Kushner would be based, though the statute is open to different interpretations. Kushner is related to the President-elect by marriage, but a 1967 law specifies "son-in-law" as a type of relative covered by the regulations.
"We have the better argument," Gorelick told CNN. "We are very confident in this position."
Gorelick added that she and transition officials have been in "pretty constant" communication with the Office of Government Ethics, which offered advice into how Kushner might best be able to divest his assets and comply with ethical requirements.
Gorelick also said that Kushner plans to recuse himself from "particular matters that would have a direct and predictable effect on his remaining financial interests."
"He will also abide by federal rules requiring impartiality in particular matters involving specific parties. These steps are consistent with federal law and executive branch practice and evidence Mr. Kushner's commitment to public service," Gorelick added in a statement provided by the Trump transition.
This is how I know the migration is happening and I'm apparently I'm getting left behind…
www.cnn.com/2017/01/09/politics/jared-kushner-to-be-named-senior-adviser-to-the-president/index.html