Kamala’s brother-in-law allegedly defrauded taxpayers of billions of dollars to fund left-wing organizations and attorneys
When it comes to shady dealings in presidential families, Hunter Biden may currently hold the title, but it looks like Kamala Harris’ brother-in-law, Tony West, is poised to take the crown if she wins the White House.
Like Hunter, West also honed his craft during the Obama administration.
During his time as head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, West pioneered a form of “Honest Graft,” reminiscent of 19th and early 20th-century political boss George Washington Plunkett.
This scheme took advantage of a change in a law in 1977 that allowed the Justice Department to unilaterally settle civil suits against the Federal government in any amount without needing approval from Congress. This essentially gave the department a blank check to pay settlements out of a fund known as the Judgment Fund.
Run by the Treasury Department, the Judgment Fund is shrouded in secrecy, with limited data available on recipients, case details, and attorney fees awarded.
West’s tenure at the Justice Department saw settlements being used to pay off political allies, with controversial deals like a $1.33 billion settlement for discrimination claims by Hispanic and female farmers, which included many who had never claimed bias. The deal was made against the objections of career lawyers at the department.
In addition to bilking taxpayers, West’s team also strong-armed corporations into making donations to Democrat-supporting activist groups as part of bank settlements.
West’s tactics continued under the Biden-Harris administration, with billion-dollar settlements for claims like emotional distress from illegal immigrants and payments to FBI agents for privacy violations.
Despite the Trump administration banning settlement slush funds, the Biden-Harris DOJ rescinded that ban, allowing the “Honest Graft” machine to keep operating.
With Tony West potentially becoming Harris’s White House counsel, it looks like there’s a new player in town to show Hunter Biden how “Honest Graft” is really done.
Daniel Huff is a former counsel to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees. Clark S. Judge is managing director of the White House Writers Group, Inc.