Scott Levy
@scott-levy.bsky.social
Former General Counsel for White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness & Response Policy; Deputy Health Policy Director for Senate HELP Committee; and staffer for Senate Finance Committee
Trump’s “Gold Card” program is now live—effectively a visa-for-cash scheme—allowing $1–$2M “gifts” to the Commerce Department to help qualify for the Card.
Commerce is directed to spend these “gifts” to promote commerce. Here’s why it's an illegal slush fund.
Commerce is directed to spend these “gifts” to promote commerce. Here’s why it's an illegal slush fund.
December 15, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Trump’s “Gold Card” program is now live—effectively a visa-for-cash scheme—allowing $1–$2M “gifts” to the Commerce Department to help qualify for the Card.
Commerce is directed to spend these “gifts” to promote commerce. Here’s why it's an illegal slush fund.
Commerce is directed to spend these “gifts” to promote commerce. Here’s why it's an illegal slush fund.
Reposted by Scott Levy
So, uh/ who paid for this?
So Sean Duffy branded his own World Cup scarfs that were given out at a FIFA event in Washington this week. But if you look at the tag... yep, they're made in Poland.
December 6, 2025 at 1:58 AM
So, uh/ who paid for this?
The Trump administration is building a shadow budget — corporate, billionaire, and foreign money funding everything from a new White House ballroom to possibly even nuclear reactors. My new @justsecurity.org piece lays out fixes Congress should adopt now.
www.justsecurity.org/125302/shado...
www.justsecurity.org/125302/shado...
How to End Shadow Budget, Protect Congress’s Power of Purse
Unless Congress reasserts control over federal spending, the balance the framers designed could collapse into a self-financing presidency.
www.justsecurity.org
November 21, 2025 at 3:34 PM
The Trump administration is building a shadow budget — corporate, billionaire, and foreign money funding everything from a new White House ballroom to possibly even nuclear reactors. My new @justsecurity.org piece lays out fixes Congress should adopt now.
www.justsecurity.org/125302/shado...
www.justsecurity.org/125302/shado...
The U.S. announced a $350B deal with South Korea on Friday, and withheld the text. South Korea released it. It’s the Japan model again: foreign-funded spending chosen by the president, outside Congress, likely violating appropriations laws + the Treaty Clause.
www.korea.kr/common/downl...
www.korea.kr/common/downl...
www.korea.kr
November 17, 2025 at 4:00 PM
The U.S. announced a $350B deal with South Korea on Friday, and withheld the text. South Korea released it. It’s the Japan model again: foreign-funded spending chosen by the president, outside Congress, likely violating appropriations laws + the Treaty Clause.
www.korea.kr/common/downl...
www.korea.kr/common/downl...
$550 billion in Japanese funding.
Directed by the President.
Outside Congress’s control.
My new @justsecurity.org piece explains how the agreement bypasses the Appropriations Clause and violates the laws that safeguard Congress’s power of the purse.
www.justsecurity.org/123478/trump...
Directed by the President.
Outside Congress’s control.
My new @justsecurity.org piece explains how the agreement bypasses the Appropriations Clause and violates the laws that safeguard Congress’s power of the purse.
www.justsecurity.org/123478/trump...
Trump’s Japan Deal and the Disappearing Appropriations Clause
The deal circumvents the Appropriations Clause and congressional safeguards, creating a system answerable only to the White House.
www.justsecurity.org
October 30, 2025 at 2:50 PM
$550 billion in Japanese funding.
Directed by the President.
Outside Congress’s control.
My new @justsecurity.org piece explains how the agreement bypasses the Appropriations Clause and violates the laws that safeguard Congress’s power of the purse.
www.justsecurity.org/123478/trump...
Directed by the President.
Outside Congress’s control.
My new @justsecurity.org piece explains how the agreement bypasses the Appropriations Clause and violates the laws that safeguard Congress’s power of the purse.
www.justsecurity.org/123478/trump...
Reposted by Scott Levy
Trump’s law firm settlements may violate federal law that guards Congress’ power to control funds, @scott-levy.bsky.social explains.
"They mark another step in the erosion of Congress’s power of the purse.”
www.justsecurity.org/112943/trump...
"They mark another step in the erosion of Congress’s power of the purse.”
www.justsecurity.org/112943/trump...
How Trump’s Law Firm Settlements Circumvent Congress and Violate Federal Spending Laws
The Trump administration has operated outside the appropriations process and congressional oversight through its law firm settlements.
www.justsecurity.org
May 20, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Trump’s law firm settlements may violate federal law that guards Congress’ power to control funds, @scott-levy.bsky.social explains.
"They mark another step in the erosion of Congress’s power of the purse.”
www.justsecurity.org/112943/trump...
"They mark another step in the erosion of Congress’s power of the purse.”
www.justsecurity.org/112943/trump...