There are a number of incongruent ideologies jockeying for influence within the Trump White House. Trump’s son in law, Jared Kushner has emerged as one of the most powerful early on. Despite receiving a great deal of flak from conservatives and libertarians for his supposedly progressive outlook, there may be an issue where his influence on the White House can be appreciated: criminal justice reform.
According to a New York Times report, Kushner is pushing for criminal justice reform on issues such as ending mandatory minimums. However, he is faced with resistance from Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a long-time drug warrior who favors harsh sentencing. Kushner’s agenda is possibly being undermined by Trump staffers who question his credentials, the report claims.
Additionally, Kushner is acting as a legislative liaison to grease the wheels for criminal justice reform passing through Congress. Last week, he met with a bipartisan group of Senators including Chuck Grassley, Dick Durbin, and Mike Lee to discuss the prospects of making this happen, according to Buzzfeed. Grassley said that the public would know within a few weeks if the Trump administration is willing to get behind reforms.
President Trump has created the new Office of American Innovation, appointing Kushner as its chief. In that role, Kushner is expected to meet with technological entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Peter Thiel to develop lasting solutions to problems within government. Kushner will have to juggle that role and his criminal justice reform efforts along with the laundry list of other responsibilities he has been tasked to perform by the Trump administration.
“The government should be run like a great American company,” Kushner said in a Washington Post interview. “Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customers, who are the citizens.”
Kushner certainly has his hands full in the Trump administration, and it will remain to be seen if this debonair upstart can handle all that is on his plate.
How many of us care of who is up or down in the white house?
Long as the President Trump does what he can to untold his promises. And passes go bills good for the American people and country.
Good! The US is desperate need of criminal justice reform. Eliminate privately held, for-profit prison systems, legalize marijuana, and eliminate harsh prison sentences for non violent, small drug possessions.