Richard Grenell, a MAGA shitposter who served as ambassador to Germany and performing director of nationwide intelligence throughout Donald Trump’s first stint in workplace, seems to have launched a determined affect marketing campaign on his former boss, angling to get nominated as secretary of state, Politico reported on Thursday.
In line with Politico’s report, Grenell supplied MAGA influencers “paid contracts of as much as five figures to post favorably about Grenell.” One contract Politico obtained laid out the rules the influencers should comply with, together with that their favorable posts about Grenell should happen at “peak posting times,” “should seem real,” and never “appear as an overt advertisement or promotional message.”
Politico didn’t report the names of the influencers Grenell reached out to in his quest to be the nation’s high diplomat. However Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of the liberal information outlet MeidasTouch, discovered folks like expelled ex-Rep. George Santos, right-wing media character Glenn Beck, and conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich all tweeting favorable issues about Grenell shortly after the election.
It’s unclear whether or not these accounts—or any—had been paid for his or her pro-Grenell tweets. Nonetheless, folks like Santos are identified for utilizing their movie star to make a buck. After his expulsion, Santos made tons of of hundreds making Cameo movies.
Trump in the end had the great sense to not nominate Grenell as secretary of state, a place that requires diplomacy—of which Grenell has none. When he served as ambassador to Germany, the Germans hated him a lot {that a} member of the nation’s parliament needed Grenell expelled from the nation.
Politico reported that Grenell’s affect marketing campaign—which he denied doing—labored in opposition to him.
“His open lobbying for the position had grated on people in Trump’s orbit,” Politico reported.
Trump wound up nominating Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida to be secretary of state, and Rubio appears to be like downright competent in contrast with the host of rejects Trump selected for different positions.
However Grenell’s affect marketing campaign is the most recent instance of the type of corrupt dealings in Trump’s orbit.
Trump’s attorneys are investigating Trump ally and adviser Boris Epshteyn for allegedly in search of fee in trade for selling individuals who needed jobs within the Trump administration.
In line with a CNN report:
The interior investigation, which was confirmed by half a dozen sources and isn’t felony in nature, has probed a number of situations of Epshteyn allegedly requesting fee in trade for selling candidates for administration positions or providing to attach people with folks within the upcoming administration related to their industries, sources stated.
In a single occasion he requested as a lot as $100,000 per 30 days in trade for his companies, in response to sources acquainted with the matter.
[…]
“The way I see it is it’s very much a pay-for-play,” stated one one who spoke to the authorized group that investigated Epshteyn. This individual described a separate incident wherein Epshteyn allegedly tried to request fee for questionable consulting companies, providing to attach the individual with incoming administration officers related to their business or lobbying corporations that would be the most well-connected to the brand new administration.
It’s all of the extra proof that Trump has by no means cared about draining the swamp. He and the folks round him are as swampy because it will get.
