State officials, of mad experts, keep insisting that there’s nothing to worry about from the dragon they have created. When we can all see the lake that surrounds the nation’s capital, they continue to deny that there is a serious condition it.  ,
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For instance, it is considered morally acceptable for someone to not play and judge in the same sport. It may take anyone as really noble as our capital’s namesake, George Washington, to actually visit plays when the players ‘ future is on the line. It’s the same reason we try, although usually clumsily, to have a non-partisan body in charge of votes. By having their people on the side who can influence the outcome, neither area should have an edge.  ,
However, these kinds of ethical conflicts do n’t seem to bother anyone in the swamp even the slightest bit. Lobbyists are frequently appointed by government organizations when their conflicts of interest brought on by their day jobs may soon render them ineligible.  ,
Nothing more vividly illustrates this than Kim Glas’s situation, who by day serves as the president and CEO of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO ), a group that represents the interests of the U.S. textile industry. In that capacity, she advocates for protectionist measures to protect private textiles from global competition, such as high import taxes and laws that forbid the purchase of foreign-made textiles in the United States.
However, she serves thanks to a nomination from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N) when she is n’t working as a textile industry lobbyist. Y. ) – as a member of the U.S. China Economic Security and Review Commission ( the China Commission ), where she poses as an impartial government official who is concerned about Chinese-imported textiles. The congressionally created agency’s goal is to “monitor, check, and send to Congress an annual statement on the national security implications of the diplomatic trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China, and to provide advice, where appropriate, to Congress for legislative and administrative activity”.
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It should be astounding that Glas is a player with clear special interests in the Chinese textile industry and is also required to serve as a referee for advice on the same policies she is paid to advance very clearly. No one, however, notices when something like Frankenstein’s monster playing with the young girl by the lake makes an alarm.  ,
In her capacity as the head of the NCTO ( player ), Glas issued a statement on September 13th, calling on the administration to use its existing executive powers to limit the severe harm to our industry caused by the de minimis loophole.
Interestingly, earlier in the year at , a , May 23, 2024, hearing titled” Key Economic Strategies for Levelling the U. S. China Playing Field: Trade, Investment, and Technology”, Glas, in her role as commissioner ( referee ), was very actively questioning witnesses while acting very concerned about Chinese imports. Shockingly, her paid work for the U. S. textile industry and her professional bias on this topic were n’t disclosed until her questioning. She even spoke about “de minimis” and gave a speech about how domestic producers are harmed because of a “tariff-free system” . ,
Her disclosure of her conflict was as clear as the sun, but it was never acknowledged other than a mention on the Commission’s website that acts as” checking the box” on disclosure issues. Something that is only imaginable to occur in the D. C. swamp monster movie world.  ,
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Ignoring this conflict has also turned out to be very lucrative for Glas. According to the NCTO’s filing ( 2022 990 form ), Glas made$ 586, 333 in reportable compensation and$ 35, 700 in other compensation from the organization and related organizations. That adds up to$ 622, 033 for representing the interests of the U. S. textile industry.  ,
Then, as a member of the Commission,  , Glas , made$ 184, 115 in 2023. Almost anyone outside of D.C. would be making that much money, but Glas’s work as both an arbitrator and advocate should raise concerns. In the swamp, they have a very cute name for when someone gets paid by the government, with taxpayers ‘ dollars for work they are already being compensated for: “double dipping”.
Ultimately, it’s consumers who suffer from special-interest-motivated policies like this when they end up paying higher prices for these everyday products that are currently exempt from tariffs. If Glas ‘ group is successful, residents in the poorest zip codes would be subject to a 12.1 % tariff increase on purchases of imported goods.
Some might object if Glas is hired again to work for and receive compensation from an organization that recommends policies while also receiving a paycheck from the NCTO to advance their agenda. Congress is likely to re-inflate the China Commission this fall.  ,
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The debate over whether tariffs should be used to shield American manufacturing from international competition is and will continue to be a conversation. However, it should be done by individuals who do n’t act as if they are an advocate or arbitrator, a player or a referee. Only in Washington could this happen for a long time without anyone noticing the moral conflict it brings about.  ,