<p>Court records show that interim D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin violated a judge’s order, ghostwrote online attacks on a judge and engaged in what experts called professional misconduct.</p><p>Such a track record might have derailed another lawyer’s career. Not so for this Trump prosecutor.</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/ed-martin-trump-interim-dc-us-attorney-secret-judge-attacks?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/ed-martin-trump-interim-dc-us-attorney-secret-judge-attacks?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/ed-</span><span class="invisible">martin-trump-interim-dc-us-attorney-secret-judge-attacks?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a> <a href="/tags/missouri/" rel="tag">#Missouri</a> <a href="/tags/dc/" rel="tag">#DC</a></p>
ethics
<p>A DOGE Aide Involved in Dismantling Consumer Bureau Owns Stock in Companies That Could Benefit From the Cuts<br>—</p><p>Gavin Kliger helped oversee mass firings at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau while holding stock in companies that experts say likely stand to benefit from dismantling that agency — a potential violation of federal ethics laws.</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/doge-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-gavin-kliger-stock?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/doge-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-gavin-kliger-stock?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/dog</span><span class="invisible">e-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-gavin-kliger-stock?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/doge/" rel="tag">#DOGE</a> <a href="/tags/cfpb/" rel="tag">#CFPB</a> <a href="/tags/consumer/" rel="tag">#Consumer</a> <a href="/tags/business/" rel="tag">#Business</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a></p>
<p>Ed Martin, Trump's pick for D.C. U.S. District Attorney, ghostwrote online attacks against an Illinois judge with whom he was in a legal dispute.</p><p>We obtained emails that show Martin bought a laptop for the woman who made the posts and coached her on how to make them look organic: <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/ed-martin-trump-interim-dc-us-attorney-secret-judge-attacks?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/ed-martin-trump-interim-dc-us-attorney-secret-judge-attacks?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/ed-</span><span class="invisible">martin-trump-interim-dc-us-attorney-secret-judge-attacks?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/dc/" rel="tag">#DC</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a></p>
<p>A DOGE aide was told by ethics attorneys that he held stock in companies that Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employees are barred from owning — and was advised not to participate in any actions that could benefit him personally.</p><p>Days later, he helped fire 90% of CFPB staff anyway, including the ethics lawyers who warned him.</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/cfpb-gavin-kliger-doge-conflict-of-interest-consumer-financial-protection-bureau?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/cfpb-gavin-kliger-doge-conflict-of-interest-consumer-financial-protection-bureau?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/cfp</span><span class="invisible">b-gavin-kliger-doge-conflict-of-interest-consumer-financial-protection-bureau?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/doge/" rel="tag">#DOGE</a> <a href="/tags/stocks/" rel="tag">#Stocks</a> <a href="/tags/business/" rel="tag">#Business</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a></p>
<p>Musk Adviser May Make as Much as $1 Million a Year While Helping to Dismantle Agency that Regulates Tesla and X<br>—</p><p>Records show that Chris Young is simultaneously working as a political adviser to Musk while serving in the Department of Government Efficiency, helping to gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/doge-elon-musk-chris-young-cfpb-tesla-x?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/doge-elon-musk-chris-young-cfpb-tesla-x?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/dog</span><span class="invisible">e-elon-musk-chris-young-cfpb-tesla-x?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/doge/" rel="tag">#DOGE</a> <a href="/tags/elonmusk/" rel="tag">#ElonMusk</a> <a href="/tags/musk/" rel="tag">#Musk</a> <a href="/tags/tesla/" rel="tag">#Tesla</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a></p>
<p>“BadAss Grandmas” Pushed for an <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> Commission. Then the North Dakota Legislature Limited Its Power.<br>—</p><p>Led by a bipartisan group of women, North Dakotans voted to create an ethics oversight body six years ago. Since then, the group has received 81 complaints and has not substantiated a single one.</p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/northdakota/" rel="tag">#NorthDakota</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/oversight/" rel="tag">#Oversight</a></p><p><a href="https://propub.li/4fKp3Rm" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>propub.li/4fKp3Rm</a></p>
<p>An examination of more than 1,200 federal judges and state supreme court justices turned up dozens of judges who chose not to recuse when facing potential appearances of impropriety involving familial financial connections.</p><p>(Published July 2024)<br><a href="https://propub.li/40kGxzo" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>propub.li/40kGxzo</a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/business/" rel="tag">#Business</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/transparency/" rel="tag">#Transparency</a></p>
<p>At Flipboard, we believe a healthy democracy starts with access to trustworthy information. Our team is committed to supporting quality journalism and making it easier for everyone to stay informed.</p><p>Our values haven't changed. Here's a blogpost that explains more.</p><p><a href="https://about.flipboard.com/inside-flipboard/flipboard-commitment-to-truth-and-quality-journalism/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="about.flipboard.com/inside-flipboard/flipboard-commitment-to-truth-and-quality-journalism/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">about.flipboard.com/inside-fli</span><span class="invisible">pboard/flipboard-commitment-to-truth-and-quality-journalism/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/media/" rel="tag">#Media</a> <a href="/tags/journalism/" rel="tag">#Journalism</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/ethicaljournalism/" rel="tag">#EthicalJournalism</a> <a href="/tags/mediaindustry/" rel="tag">#MediaIndustry</a> <a href="/tags/flipboard/" rel="tag">#Flipboard</a></p>
<p>The Air Force revealed earlier this year that a general who oversaw its lobbying before Congress had inappropriate relationships with five women.</p><p>Sources say one of the women whose relationship with him was scrutinized was Sen. Joni Ernst.</p><p>(Published March 2025)<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/joni-ernst-congress-military-relationships?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/joni-ernst-congress-military-relationships?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/jon</span><span class="invisible">i-ernst-congress-military-relationships?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/joniernst/" rel="tag">#JoniErnst</a> <a href="/tags/military/" rel="tag">#Military</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a> <a href="/tags/congress/" rel="tag">#Congress</a></p>
<p>IMPACT: Senators Call on DOJ to Investigate Potential DOGE Conflicts of Interest After ProPublica Report</p><p>Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden and Jack Reed cited our reporting on how one aide assigned to the CFPB helped oversee the mass layoffs of the agency’s staff while holding as much as $715K in stocks that bureau employees are prohibited from owning.</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/doge-aides-conflict-of-interest-senators-letter?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/doge-aides-conflict-of-interest-senators-letter?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/dog</span><span class="invisible">e-aides-conflict-of-interest-senators-letter?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/doj/" rel="tag">#DOJ</a> <a href="/tags/congress/" rel="tag">#Congress</a> <a href="/tags/senate/" rel="tag">#Senate</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a></p>
<p>I think it's time for a re-introduction!</p><p>Hello fediverse! I am an admin for Veganism.Social, VoIP engineer, sim-racer with <span class="h-card"><a href="https://veganism.social/@ethixracing" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>ethixracing</span></a></span>, gamer, foodie, and long-time ethical vegan. I'm originally from South Florida, but now living in the Orlando area as of 2020. I'm usually not a very social person, but I'm trying to change that! I want to make a difference in the world, and one person cannot do that alone, so connecting with others is essential.</p><p>My political and ethical views are all centered around equality, compassion, and environmental protection. I am anti-capitalist, but I also understand that it's impossible in the current state of society to avoid participating in it. So I try to make the best decisions I can with the options given to me in order to minimize the harm it causes. </p><p>Humans and animals all over the world are facing troubling times, and thinking about it has taken a massive toll on my mental health. Now, I am trying to focus my efforts on things that I can change, rather than spreading myself too thin and not helping at all. This doesn't mean I'm ignoring all of the other suffering, but simply trying to prioritize based on what is within my reach. </p><p>Thank you for taking the time to read, and if you feel like we have something in common, give a follow! I look forward to meeting like-minded individuals and organizations that seek to make the world a better place! </p><p>For a bit more info about myself and my sim-racing efforts, check out this interview I did with <span class="h-card"><a href="https://veganism.social/@veganeasy" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>veganeasy</span></a></span> last year.<br><a href="https://www.veganeasy.org/discover/news/interview-eracing-driven-by-compassion/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.veganeasy.org/discover/news/interview-eracing-driven-by-compassion/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.veganeasy.org/discover/new</span><span class="invisible">s/interview-eracing-driven-by-compassion/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/introduction/" rel="tag">#introduction</a> <a href="/tags/vegan/" rel="tag">#vegan</a> <a href="/tags/veganism/" rel="tag">#veganism</a> <a href="/tags/equality/" rel="tag">#equality</a> <a href="/tags/compassion/" rel="tag">#compassion</a> <a href="/tags/simracing/" rel="tag">#SimRacing</a> <a href="/tags/esports/" rel="tag">#eSports</a> <a href="/tags/gaming/" rel="tag">#gaming</a> <a href="/tags/voip/" rel="tag">#VoIP</a> <a href="/tags/hospitality/" rel="tag">#hospitality</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#ethics</a> <a href="/tags/connect/" rel="tag">#connect</a> <a href="/tags/florida/" rel="tag">#Florida</a></p>
<p>When we talk about product outcomes, these outcomes include consequences. </p><p>Our products have consequences.</p><p>Given everything going on, it is time to talk about Ethics.</p><p>On Friday, Feb 7, noon EST, join Product Conversations for a live panel on the Ethics of Product Management.</p><p>Moderator: Grant Hunter<br>Panelists: <br>- Steve Johnson<br>- Clifton Gilley <br>- Radhika Dutt <br>- and me!</p><p>LinkedIn (live stream comments): <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/events/ethicsofproductmanagement7292264390400057344/comments/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.linkedin.com/events/ethicsofproductmanagement7292264390400057344/comments/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.linkedin.com/events/ethics</span><span class="invisible">ofproductmanagement7292264390400057344/comments/</span></a></p><p>Youtube (no comments): <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/8y5pBfR0Tmc" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.youtube.com/live/8y5pBfR0Tmc"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.youtube.com/live/8y5pBfR0T</span><span class="invisible">mc</span></a></p><p>This is the virtual event that I produce 2x a month. The process of talking through the ideas help us to explore and expand these concepts in conversation with some of the best people in the field.</p><p><a href="/tags/product/" rel="tag">#product</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#ethics</a> <a href="/tags/tech/" rel="tag">#tech</a></p>
<p>Seven years after North Dakotans voted to amend the constitution and create an ethics commission, state officials are claiming the agency cannot actually impose penalties for ethics violations.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/north-dakota-ethics-commission-enforcement-authority?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/north-dakota-ethics-commission-enforcement-authority?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/nor</span><span class="invisible">th-dakota-ethics-commission-enforcement-authority?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/northdakota/" rel="tag">#NorthDakota</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/vote/" rel="tag">#Vote</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a></p>
<p>Kristi Noem, while governor of South Dakota, supplemented her roughly $130,000 salary by secretly accepting $80,000 donated to a political nonprofit she was affiliated with, records show.</p><p>She never disclosed this income on federal ethics forms.</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/kristi-noem-political-donations-income-dark-money-dhs-ethics?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/kristi-noem-political-donations-income-dark-money-dhs-ethics?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/kri</span><span class="invisible">sti-noem-political-donations-income-dark-money-dhs-ethics?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/kristinoem/" rel="tag">#KristiNoem</a> <a href="/tags/dhs/" rel="tag">#DHS</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/nonprofit/" rel="tag">#Nonprofit</a></p>
Instead of trolley problems (*), maybe we should be talking about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rube_Goldberg_machine" rel="nofollow">Rube Goldberg</a> problems. Imagine you're confronted with an extraordinarily complex Rube Goldberg machine. On one end is a switch that can be flipped to start it going, after which it will run through its various complicated motions and finally stop. On the other end is a person who will be seriously harmed or killed by the machine if the switch is flipped. Imagine there's a person who knows all this and decides to flip the switch, and the person at the other end is harmed or killed with certainty. Do you hold the switch flipper responsible for the harm?<br><br>What if the machine were 10x more complex? 100x more complex? What if part of the machine could misbehave in such a way that the person at the end isn't harmed with certainty, but only with some probability? What if the machine has 10 switches, all of which have to be flipped by 10 different individuals before the machine starts and harms the person; do you hold any of the individuals responsible for the harm?<br><br><a href="/tags/morality/" rel="tag">#morality</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#ethics</a> <a href="/tags/trolleyproblem/" rel="tag">#TrolleyProblem</a><br><br>(*) Trolley problems are silly because they are decontexualized, and so are the proposed Rube Goldberg ones. I am satirizing them all, in part, though I do think if you're going to play around with thought experiments RG is a bit closer to modern lived reality than a runaway trolley.<br>
Edited 1y ago
<p>Texas Private Schools Hire Relatives and Enrich Insiders. Soon They Can Do It With Taxpayer Money.<br>—</p><p>An investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found more than 60 instances of nepotism, self-dealing and conflicts of interest among 27 private schools that likely would have violated state laws had the schools been public. <br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-vouchers-private-schools-conflicts-of-interest?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/texas-vouchers-private-schools-conflicts-of-interest?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/tex</span><span class="invisible">as-vouchers-private-schools-conflicts-of-interest?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/education/" rel="tag">#Education</a> <a href="/tags/texas/" rel="tag">#Texas</a> <a href="/tags/school/" rel="tag">#School</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/students/" rel="tag">#Students</a> <a href="/tags/teaching/" rel="tag">#Teaching</a></p>
<p>If you're in STEM, at what level did you first get taught ethics (in general, and as specifically relevant in your field)?</p><p>Mastodon only allows 4 poll choices so please write in the comments if these choices don't cover you.</p><p><a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/science/" rel="tag">#Science</a> <a href="/tags/academicchatter/" rel="tag">#AcademicChatter</a> <a href="/tags/stem/" rel="tag">#STEM</a></p>
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<p>Latest comic on the convenience of making less ethical choices</p><p><a href="/tags/comic/" rel="tag">#comic</a> <a href="/tags/cartoon/" rel="tag">#cartoon</a> <a href="/tags/journalism/" rel="tag">#journalism</a> <a href="/tags/academia/" rel="tag">#academia</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#ethics</a> <a href="/tags/socialmedia/" rel="tag">#socialmedia</a></p>
<p>Explore Financial Disclosures From President Trump and 1,500 of His Appointees<br>---</p><p>Our database paints a detailed financial picture for President Donald Trump and hundreds of his political appointees, some of whom have ties to the industries they regulate. The disclosures include their recent employers, assets and debts.<br><a href="https://projects.propublica.org/trump-team-financial-disclosures/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="projects.propublica.org/trump-team-financial-disclosures/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">projects.propublica.org/trump-</span><span class="invisible">team-financial-disclosures/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/data/" rel="tag">#Data</a> <a href="/tags/research/" rel="tag">#Research</a> <a href="/tags/journalism/" rel="tag">#Journalism</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a></p>
<p>I just had to convince my husband that his 60 slide, three hour talk on AI ethics would not be a suitable Christmas present for our friends.</p><p><a href="/tags/ai/" rel="tag">#ai</a> <a href="/tags/ki/" rel="tag">#ki</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#ethics</a></p>
<p>Top DOJ Official Shut Down Enforcement Against Crypto Companies While Holding More Than $150,000 in Crypto Investments<br>---</p><p>The second-highest official at the DOJ, Todd Blanche rose to prominence as Trump’s personal defense attorney. His actions violated the federal conflicts of interest law and his ethics agreement, experts told ProPublica.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/todd-blanche-crypto-doj-trump?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/todd-blanche-crypto-doj-trump?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/tod</span><span class="invisible">d-blanche-crypto-doj-trump?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/doj/" rel="tag">#DOJ</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/crypto/" rel="tag">#Crypto</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/transparency/" rel="tag">#Transparency</a> <a href="/tags/stocks/" rel="tag">#Stocks</a> <a href="/tags/trump/" rel="tag">#Trump</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a></p>
<p>Democratic and Republican lawmakers across the country tried to push through bills to tighten gift limits, toughen conflict-of-interest provisions or expand financial disclosure reporting requirements. But many of the measures were derailed.</p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/ethics-reform-legislation-blocked-statehouses?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/ethics-reform-legislation-blocked-statehouses?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/eth</span><span class="invisible">ics-reform-legislation-blocked-statehouses?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/virginia/" rel="tag">#Virginia</a> <a href="/tags/texas/" rel="tag">#Texas</a> <a href="/tags/newmexico/" rel="tag">#NewMexico</a> <a href="/tags/northdakota/" rel="tag">#NorthDakota</a> <a href="/tags/connecticut/" rel="tag">#Connecticut</a> <a href="/tags/maine/" rel="tag">#Maine</a></p>
<p>Did you know? Every year, the Supreme Court’s nine justices fill out a form that discloses their financial connections to companies and people.</p><p>Our database allows you to search for organizations and people that have paid them, reimbursed them for travel and given them gifts.<br><a href="https://projects.propublica.org/supreme-connections/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="projects.propublica.org/supreme-connections/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">projects.propublica.org/suprem</span><span class="invisible">e-connections/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/journalism/" rel="tag">#Journalism</a> <a href="/tags/scotus/" rel="tag">#SCOTUS</a> <a href="/tags/law/" rel="tag">#Law</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/transparency/" rel="tag">#Transparency</a> <a href="/tags/research/" rel="tag">#Research</a> <a href="/tags/data/" rel="tag">#Data</a></p>
<p><a href="/tags/aynrand/" rel="tag">#AynRand</a>’s <a href="https://courses.aynrand.org/works/introduction-to-virtue-of-selfishness/" rel="nofollow">original introduction to The Virtue of Selfishness</a> is now online--and it directly contradicts most of the claims people make about her <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#ethics</a>.</p><p>If your picture of Rand comes from social media threads, YouTube rants, or second-hand “hot takes,” <a href="https://courses.aynrand.org/works/introduction-to-virtue-of-selfishness/" rel="nofollow">this is the text that breaks the spell.</a></p> <p>Let’s clear out the biggest straw men right away:</p><p><p>❌ “Rand said selfishness means hurting people.”
</p><p>No. She argues that rational self‑interest forbids coercion, exploitation, and parasitism. Predators aren’t “selfish”—they’re short‑range, self‑destructive, and irrational.</p><br><p>❌ “It’s just an excuse to do whatever you want.”
</p><p>She draws a hard boundary between whim and <a href="/tags/reason/" rel="tag">#reason</a>. Her ethics demands long‑range thinking, integrity, and principled action — the opposite of impulse.</p><br><p>❌ “<a href="/tags/objectivism/" rel="tag">#Objectivism</a> celebrates cruelty.”
</p><p>The introduction explicitly rejects cruelty as irrational. Benevolence is not only compatible with <a href="/tags/egoism/" rel="tag">#egoism</a>—it’s a natural expression of a rational, confident person.</p><br><p>❌ “Rand denies moral principles.”
</p><p>She denies sacrifice as a moral ideal. She does not deny <a href="/tags/morality/" rel="tag">#morality</a>. She argues for a code rooted in reality, reason, and the requirements of human life.</p></p> <p>If you want to understand the argument instead of the mythology, read the primary source--it’s short, sharp, and surprisingly accessible.</p><p><a href="https://aynrand.org/novels/the-virtue-of-selfishness/" rel="nofollow">Read more for context on the full book, editions, and themes.</a></p><p><a href="/tags/philosophy/" rel="tag">#philosophy</a> <a href="/tags/individualism/" rel="tag">#individualism</a> <a href="/tags/reading/" rel="tag">#reading</a> <a href="/tags/nonfiction/" rel="tag">#nonfiction</a> <a href="/tags/ideas/" rel="tag">#ideas</a> <a href="/tags/bookstodon/" rel="tag">#bookstodon</a></p>
Edited 57d ago
<p>The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center is calling for an inspector general investigation into potential conflicts of interest and ethics violations in the office of border czar Tom Homan related to government contracting.<br><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/border-czar-tom-homan-mark-hall-conflicts-interest-ethics-investigation?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.propublica.org/article/border-czar-tom-homan-mark-hall-conflicts-interest-ethics-investigation?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.propublica.org/article/bor</span><span class="invisible">der-czar-tom-homan-mark-hall-conflicts-interest-ethics-investigation?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/news/" rel="tag">#News</a> <a href="/tags/tomhoman/" rel="tag">#TomHoman</a> <a href="/tags/ethics/" rel="tag">#Ethics</a> <a href="/tags/government/" rel="tag">#Government</a> <a href="/tags/immigration/" rel="tag">#Immigration</a> <a href="/tags/uspolitics/" rel="tag">#USPolitics</a></p>