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Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's son, Philip Alito, has been working as a political appointee attorney at the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of the General Counsel since the early months of President Donald Trump's second administration, raising serious conflict of interest concerns.According to reports by NOTUS, Philip Alito's presence was treated as something close to a government secret. "If people were introducing themselves by first and last name, he'd just say 'Phil,' not Phil Alito," said one former official. "He's a pretty soft-spoken guy."Four former government officials also claimed he maintains no public resume or LinkedIn profile. As an attorney-adviser in the general counsel's front office, he was briefed on important Treasury matters and provided legal feedback at the highest levels. The Treasury Department's general counsel's office handles legal matters related to taxation, economic policy, and law enforcement, including potential cases challenging Trump's anti-weaponization fund that could reach the Supreme Court. A tariff lawsuit naming the Treasury as defendant was argued before the justices in November, with Philip Alito's employment never disclosed in court documents. Justice Alito did not recuse himself from the case, nor did he respond to a request for comments by NOTUS.Watch the video below. Your browser does not support the video tag.
Republican lawmakers want a $250 bill featuring President Trump for the nation's 250th anniversary celebration, but the proposal faces legal and legislative hurdles.Why it matters: Federal law bars living people from appearing on U.S. currency, creating a significant obstacle to the proposal without congressional action.State of play: The Washington Post reported Thursday that, despite the stalled legislation, U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach and his senior adviser requested prototypes of the $250 bill.The Treasury Department already announced that the president's signature will appear on paper currency to honor the nation's 250th, a first for a sitting president.Catch up quick: A Treasury spokeswoman confirmed to Axios that in response to "active legislation," the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) was "moving proactively" to produce the "commemorative note" and "conducting appropriate planning and due diligence."Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) introduced a bill last year that would require Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to print $250 notes featuring Trump's portrait, but the proposal has stalled in the House Committee on Financial Services.A Republican committee aide told Axios the panel is talking with its members and senators about the idea.Behind the scenes: A spokesman for Wilson said the congressman had discussed moving the bill forward with the committee's chair multiple times and that both Bessent and Trump spoke with Wilson "about their support for this on multiple occasions."Beach backed Wilson's proposal and offered to draft mock-ups of the proposed note, per a letter provided to Axios by the congressman's office.Beach acknowledged in the correspondence he was aware the law banned living people from appearing on U.S. currency but added that he believes it is "appropriate for us to honor the sitting President for the 250-year celebration."However, Beach "never asked staff to print the $250 note before congressional action occurs," the Treasury spokeswoman told Axios.Friction point: U.S. Code reads, "Only the portrait of a deceased individual may appear on United States currency and securities."After a then-living Treasury official, Spencer Clark, appeared on a note and caused public uproar, Congress prohibited the portrait or likeness of any living person on currency notes, bonds or securities.A separate piece of U.S. Code specifies the denominations of notes to be $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 and so on. It does not include a $250 bill.But Bessent said in a Thursday briefing that he doesn't believe "there's anything untoward about having the president of the United States ... on the 250th anniversary bill."Yes, but: Wilson's legislation has shown little movement, and the BEP says banknote development can take years of testing.The bottom line: We're likely a long way away from Americans carrying Trump dollars in their wallets.But the possibility of legal challenges and the risk of running afoul of historic norms hasn't stopped the administration in the past.Go deeper: Here's how U.S. residents feel about Trump's signature on American cash
Treasury secretary says banknote would celebrate US’s 250th anniversary but Democrats vow to block moveThe White House is pushing Congress to approve a $250 bill bearing Donald Trump’s portrait, the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said, which would require changing longstanding federal law that prohibits any living person from appearing on US currency.Speaking from the White House at a news conference, Bessent said the bill would be in celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary of independence, and that the treasury has already started preparing for the possibility of the new currency. Continue reading...
The Trump administration's supposed "war on fraud" is benefiting from the support of a group of alleged fraudsters, according to new reporting. Cuts to Medicaid and raids on daycare centers are part of the president's stated crackdown on fraud, which has been backed by a nonprofit called the State Financial Officers Foundation, according to reporting by The Lever. State auditors and treasurers are part of the State Financial Officers Foundation, which throws its support behind Trump with reports and statements touting the war on fraud's success, The Lever reported. However, the nonprofit's board president, Seth Metcalf, is facing corruption allegations, according to The Lever. Metcalf, a former Ohio deputy treasurer, allegedly colluded with board members of the state's teachers' pension fund to direct $65 billion to his investment firm, according to whistleblowers. An Ohio judge wrote in a February ruling that the pension board members were "mere puppets" of Metcalf, The Lever noted. He reportedly penned documents accusing the pension board of "committing fraud" to pressure them, The Lever added. Metcalf is also being sued for fraud and mismanagement related to an AI start-up's money, according to The Lever. Meanwhile, the State Financial Officers Foundation's vice chair, Adam Crum, allegedly misused state funds while working as Alaska's revenue commissioner. Crum allegedly tried to take $75 million from state reserve funds and invest it in a private equity fund, which a lawmaker described as "gross incompetence" because of the move's high risk, according to The Lever. He also reportedly gave $8.5 million worth of contracts to a consulting firm that sponsored a glacier cruise for the State Financial Officers Foundation, according to reporting by the Juneau Independent. Red states have called out the group for exaggerating fraud numbers, too. An independent auditor found that one of the nonprofit's members, who was Florida's chief financial officer, used a DOGE formula to misrepresent hurricane recovery efforts as massive misspending. Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said one of the nonprofit's claims of fraud was "wildly inflated."
Trump officials have pushed the nation's money printers to design a $250 bill emblazoned with his face, despite a 159-year-old law banning living people on US currency.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Thursday slammed the reported push from Trump administration officials for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to design a $250 bill with President Trump’s face on it. “Hard No on a Trump $250 bill,” Jeffries wrote on the social platform X. “Get over yourself,” he added. “The upcoming…