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White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has tightened the rules for staff meetings with lobbyists, after former officials alleged corruption in the Trump administration.
A Nov. 12 memorandum from the White House Chief of Staff's Office said staff "must receive prior approval from the Office of White House Counsel for meetings on the White House complex with registered lobbyists related to government policy." The memo did not apply to meetings off the complex and said questions could be directed to the Office of Public Liaison.
"No President in history has fought more relentlessly, selflessly or courageously for the American People than President Trump," the memorandum said. "Following his example, White House staff are expected to dedicate their time unwaveringly to the working people of the nation." A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called it "a much stricter process than before."
The new rules follow allegations from former officials, including Calley Means, a former adviser to the White House and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., that payments influenced administration policy. Means alleged that former Chief of Staff Susie Wiles told him she needed money from the sugar industry to win the midterm elections. President Donald Trump told reporters that a change was needed and that Wiles, who was replaced by Miller, a longtime Trump adviser, was shifting to his political operation. The White House said outside groups were never allowed to influence policy decisions.
Means's comments drew attention from Democrats, who are set to gain control of the House and Senate in the next Congress. Rep. Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said on X, "Yet another example of Trump Administration officials prioritizing corporate interest over public interest." Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin said, "The corruption knows no bounds."
Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said Democrats could start an investigation into Wiles after they take control of the House, including "any sort of conversations that the former chief of staff was having around donors and money in exchange for policy choices." White House counsel Will Scharf told Garcia in a letter that Congress can conduct oversight but must identify "a legitimate legislative purpose." Scharf wrote, "We are monitoring the abusive and capricious threats that are now proliferating from Democrat legislators who seek to abuse the legislative process to intimidate and to interfere with the lawful functioning of government."
Garcia said in response, "The American people voted overwhelmingly for us to pass laws to root out corruption and abuse. The Trump Administration continues to weaponize the government with threats of unconstitutional attacks on Congress. We are a co-equal branch of government and will not be deterred by baseless threats from a weaponized [Department of Justice] or from the President's lawyers."
