In yet another instance of how the Trump administration fails to properly vet the people it nominates for key posts, we now learn that President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve on the board of the Federal Reserve was once held in contempt of court by a judge for failing to pay more than $300,000 in alimony and child support.
The Guardian obtained court documents showing that not only did Stephen Moore try to get around paying his ex-wife, he also still owes at least $75,000 to the Internal Revenue Service:
“Moore continued failing to pay, according to the court filings, prompting the judge to order the sale of his house to satisfy the debt in 2013. But this process was halted by his ex-wife after Moore paid her about two-thirds of what he owed, the filings say.
“In a divorce filing in August 2010, Moore was accused of inflicting ’emotional and psychological abuse’ on his ex-wife during their 20-year marriage. Allison Moore said in the filing she had been forced to flee their home to protect herself. She was granted a divorce in May 2011.”
Moore’s nomination was already under fire due to the fact that his so-called “qualifications” are that he once wrote on the subject for the Wall Street Journal.
Moore also has no advanced degree in economics:
“Unlike all current members of the Federal Reserve board of governors, Moore does not hold a doctoral degree. Greg Mankiw, an economics professor at Harvard University who was a senior economic adviser to former president George W Bush, has said Moore ‘does not have the intellectual gravitas’ for the job and urged senators to reject him.”
So why did Trump nominate Moore? It appears the only reason is because Moore has been a vocal supporter of Trump since he first announced his plan to run for president. Moore has also appeared on cable news to defend Trump’s economic policies.
Moore also has ties to another controversial figure from the 2016 Trump campaign, according to the Guardian:
“Moore created a controversial political attack group during the 2008 presidential election campaign with his friend Paul Erickson, a veteran Republican operative.
“Erickson has been indicted on federal charges of money laundering and tax fraud, to which he has pleaded not guilty. His girlfriend, the Russian pro-gun activist Maria Butina, pleaded guilty to working as a Russian agent by trying to infiltrate the conservative political movement in the US. She is due to be sentenced next month.”
Trump promised he would surround himself with “only the best people” during the 2016 race. If this is an example of “the best people,” maybe the White House needs to be casting a wider net.
Featured Image Via Fox News Screenshot
