10 Things in Politics: Trump alums nab corporate gigs

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10 Things in Politics: Trump alums nab corporate gigs
Dr. Robert Redfield and Dr. Deborah Birx with then-President Donald Trump during a coronavirus press briefing on April 22, 2020. Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Welcome back to 10 Things in Politics. Sign up here to receive this newsletter. Send tips to bgriffiths@insider.com or tweet me at @BrentGriffiths.

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Here's what we're talking about:

What to look out for today: President Joe Biden speaks about voting rights from Philadelphia.

With Phil Rosen and Jordan Erb.


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1. FROM MAGA TO CORPORATE AMERICA: Former Trump administration officials are finding their places in the business world. The nation's largest companies haven't exactly rolled out the red carpet, but many former officials are returning to previous jobs in the private sector or finding new work based on their time in the administration.

Some of those who are now in corporate roles:

  • From Big Ass Fans to Amazon: More than 30 former Trump officials landed jobs at companies. That's based on the tracking of several hundred people who worked in an official capacity for Trump from January 2017 to January of this year.
  • Some of the biggest names worked on Trump's COVID-19 response: Dr. Deborah Birx, the pandemic response coordinator, and Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have landed in the air-purifying industry. Redfield's new employer, Big Ass Fans, says its ion technology kills the coronavirus.
  • The blue-chip destinations: Corporations that have hired former Trump officials include Amazon, IBM, Goldman Sachs, and Lockheed Martin but also some smaller and less traditional companies.

See the complete list of the 31 companies here.


2. Biden says US stands with Cuban people amid protests: The president showered praise on the largest protests against the communist government in recent years. Biden called on the Cuban government "to refrain from violence," while Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel called on his supporters to fight in the streets. More on Biden's response.


10 Things in Politics: Trump alums nab corporate gigs
State Rep. Ron Reynolds of Texas at a rally outside the Texas State Capitol on Thursday in Austin, Texas. Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images

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3. Texas Democrats flee to Washington to stall voting bill: Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives have left the state in a dramatic walkout to block numerous conservative priorities from passing in a legislative special session. Texas is one of just a few states where the minority party can leave to deny the quorum necessary to pass legislation. Here's what comes next in their fight.


4. FDA adds warning to Johnson & Johnson vaccine based on rare reaction: Officials warn that a rare but serious neurological disorder, Guillain-Barré syndrome, has been linked to the COVID-19 shot. One-hundred cases of the syndrome have been documented. Health authorities continue to stress that the benefits still outweigh the risk of not getting vaccinated. Here's how the warning is another black mark for Johnson & Johnson.


5. Wall Street smashed more records: But analysts at Bank of America say don't count on a hefty earnings season to keep things elevated. Read what the pros think ahead of the earnings reports.


6. Nearly $400 million in taxpayer money is just sitting there: The money is supposed to publicly fund presidential campaigns. But it doesn't. Still more taxpayers check a box to send $3 to it, which only adds to the balance. Here's what both parties would like to do with the money.


7. France is mandating a vaccine passport for this fall: French President Emmanuel Macron said a vaccine pass would soon be required for people to visit nonessential places like restaurants and tourist attractions. Passports will reside in a program that people can share via a QR code or certificate with establishments. Macron said COVID-19 cases would rise without the mandate.

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8. Several suspects in Haiti assassination linked to US law enforcement: The Drug Enforcement Agency confirmed that at least one of the men arrested was previously an informant. CNN is reporting that others connected to the plot were also said to have previously been US law-enforcement informants. There's a growing number of US connections to the assassination.


9. Trump Organization reportedly removes CFO Allen Weisselberg from leadership posts: The news of Weisselberg's removal from other Trump Organization subsidiaries comes after Manhattan prosecutors charged him in relation to an alleged 15-year tax-fraud scheme, The Wall Street Journal reports. Weisselberg and the organization have pleaded not guilty. More on the news here.


​​10. Goldfish are living large in Minnesota: Goldfish are known for their short memories. But now a few forgotten pets are wreaking havoc in Minnesota, leading local officials to beg people to not dump their pets in a nearby lake. And the scale of the problem is a lot larger than you might think.

  • Here's what they look like:


Today's trivia question: Sunday marked the anniversary of Hamilton and Burr's infamous duel. When you're done consulting the commandments, can you guess which American corporation still owns the guns the founding fathers used that fateful day? Email your guess and a suggested question to me at bgriffiths@insider.com.

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