CREW challenges Jared Kushner's participation in negotiations without Senate consent in court

Human rights advocates demand halt to president's son-in-law's diplomatic activities

Washington-based organisation CREW, which specialises in monitoring integrity within the state apparatus, has initiated legal proceedings against Jared Kushner. He is accused of conducting high-level negotiations without the appropriate approval from the US Senate and without adhering to established federal ethical standards. According to CREW data, Kushner represents the interests of the United States in talks dedicated to the war in Ukraine, as well as in negotiations concerning Gaza and Iran.

Legal basis of the lawsuit and demands to the court

The lawsuit is based on provisions of the US Constitution and the government ethics law. Constitutional norms stipulate that individuals appointed to permanent state positions with broad powers must receive Senate approval before taking office. Furthermore, the ethics law obliges senior officials to publicly report on their financial status.

The organisation is asking the court to prohibit Kushner from continuing to perform this role and to oblige him to submit financial disclosures. CREW emphasises that after Donald Trump's return to the White House, the president's son-in-law did not undergo vetting, did not obtain Senate consent, and has never submitted the required financial reports.

Position of CREW leadership

Organisation president Donald Sherman stated: «Кушнер не є винятком» (Kushner is not an exception). According to him, the president's son-in-law acts on behalf of the US government, defining approaches to the most important issues of foreign policy and security. Sherman emphasised that Kushner has not met the requirements of the law, which aim to assure the public of his competence and the priority of state interests over private ones.

Financial ties and conflict of interest

Jared Kushner also manages the investment company Affinity Partners. This structure manages assets worth over $6 billion, with approximately 99% of these assets belonging to foreign investors, including the sovereign funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. CREW notes that Kushner himself claims that he has not used his diplomatic position to gain benefits for himself, his company, or his investors.

Historical context and previous experience

During Donald Trump's first presidential term, Jared Kushner held the position of senior adviser. At that time, the US Department of Justice reviewed a long-standing practice of preventing nepotism to allow him and Ivanka Trump to work in the White House. During that period, Kushner submitted financial disclosures. According to these documents, the couple received between $172 million and $640 million in outside income. Shortly after the end of the first term, Kushner attracted billions of dollars to his company from governments with which he had cooperated in his government position.