President Donald J. Trump has unveiled his “Board of Peace” as part of the oversight of the Gaza ceasefire plan.
The panel, already controversial, is a complex, three-tiered governing structure for Gaza that places Trump and pro-Israel officials at the top, while Palestinians are relegated to municipal duties.
Trump has invited more than 60 countries to participate in the council. Among them is the Holy See, headed by Pope Leo XIV.
A $1 billion contribution secures permanent membership on the Trump-led board instead of a three-year appointment, which has no contribution requirement. The money raised would supposedly go to rebuilding Gaza.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accepted an invitation to join the board. Orbán is one of Trump’s most ardent supporters in Europe.
Somewhat surprisingly, Vietnam’s Communist Party chief, To Lam, also has accepted, a foreign ministry statement said.
Where did Donald Trump get his idea to have seats on his board of directors for the Council of Peace available for purchase for $1 Billion?
It is not uncommon for MEDF board members to accompany the Governor on these domestic and foreign trade missions. Do the donors to the MEDF, by getting a birds-eye view of current and future Michigan’s economic development initiatives, obtain an insider’s advantage? Could there be possible conflicts of interest that arise?
Has Donald Trump thought about all this with regards to his Board of Peace? If so, does he think it matters? Is there any connection or analogy between the Board of Peace and the MEDF?
Well, there seems to be some rhyme, anyway.
(After this article, TBR will take a brief winter break. We’ll be back in mid-February.)
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As much as I admire Bob, I think he’s imagining ghosts in the attic. Since some people complain about corporate lack of interest in the state’s health, why complain when they get involved? It’s trivial and shortsighted complaining to me. It seems there is no lack of complainers these days, what about encouraging doers. Let’s help our state instead of inventing reasons to put up barriers. Let’s encourage corporate, non profit, conservative and liberal doers to roll up their sleeves and put some elbow grease in the gears of government. It doesn’t succeed without taxpayers, whoever they may be, working in its behalf.
Public disclosure and transparency is a positive thing.
The Quentin Messer-Fay Beydoun controversy could have been avoided with more vigorous oversight.
The oversight need not be public. A private auditor could be contracted with to ensure that everything is above-board. Corporations have accounting firms audit their financial statements and issue opinions.
Honest corporate boards conduct themselves professionally and usually have no issues with auditing activities. Why should the arcane and complex network of the MEDC and MEDF foster public confidence by implementing obviously needed oversight?
Interesting article, Bill, and enjoy your brief winter break.
As for the Michigan connection, I’m not so sure, but if Jim Blanchard sues for copyright infringement….
The problem with the MEDC and MEDF – especially the MEDF – is these organizations are DESIGNED to avoid public scrutiny. It’s in their DNA. The Captains of Industry and Titans of Finance do not want scrutiny, whether it comes from the Auditor General, the House or Senate Fiscal Agencies, or the legislature. If they did, they would not be involved in either the MEDC or MEDF except to receive grants. This was/is the same sort of problem that the MCCA ran/runs into. I believe the intent of the MCCA in keeping it out of state government was to keep the legislature from raiding its monies to fill budget deficits or fund spending. As such, it was not audited by the Auditor General’s office as it was non-governmental. An amendment to the No-Fault bill giving the Auditor General authority to audit the MCCA every year or two would have been rather beneficial. But that was not to be.
As for the gifts, yes, if the MEDF guy gives something worth more than $79, you’ll have a hard time proving it’s a violation if both parties say it is a friend gifting something to another friend, not something to a fellow MEDF board member. These folks are considered “different” from rank-and-file state employees. Regular readers of the TBR may remember my earlier description of what constituted a gift in 1982 when my supervisor informed me that a Christmas card sent to my unit designation Y-209 (not to Tim Sullivan or Timothy Sullivan) ran afoul of Civil Services prohibitions on the receipt of gifts. MEDF probably would not like that level of scrutiny.
As for the MEDF credit card, it’s an interesting way to get around something. As it is a non-public entity, governmental scrutiny becomes extremely difficult. Again, the issue is proof. What law is violated? Disclosure would be easier if they were subject to audits from Auditor General as the State has created these entities.
As for a ruling or finding by Nessel, I suspect it would not survive court challenge as she is going beyond what is in the law. Legislative action in amending the statutes that create MEDC and MEDF by making receipt of any state funds requires auditing by the Auditor General’s office is probably the way to go.
As for the Board of Peace membership, if Pope Leo XIV sends Cardinal Parolin (the Vatican’s version of Marco Rubio), it’s doomed. Put a fork in it. However, bringing either Cardinal Robert Sarah or Joseph Zen out of retirement, it might stand a chance. The Vietnamese probably see a way to make money and earn favor with Trump; Orban wants something to club the EU over the head with; and all the countries chipping in see a way they can get construction contracts and make headway with whatever non-Hamas governing body takes over Gaza to make even more money in the future.
Stay warm folks, global warming is broken. Someone call Al Gore to fix it!
Vietnam has $20 billion per year with the U.S. in bilateral trade.
They even offered us back our Cam Ranh Bay installation after Russia could no longer afford the rent on it. America smartly declined.
Cam Ranh Bay is a good deepwater port – with airfields – that is sheltered from the ocean. Methinks Vietnam wanted the USN there to protect them from Red China.
Hey Bill! Thanks for connecting the dots between the Board of Peace (BOP) and the MEDF. Interesting insight.
A few comments:
(A) Not sure the connect between BOP, an agreement between countries, and the MEDF, an NGO-esque state specific agency. When tax ramifications are included, I’m having a hard time seeing the whole comparison at all. Although the raison d’etre and fonctionnem ent interne I get and can see the similarities.
(B) I totally up-chuck at any governmental, or pseudo-governmental, organization allowed granting or bestowing permanent anything. Life-term judges should teach us all by now that lifetime anything is a bad idea.
(C) A billion ante to play at the big boy table is fine with me. Reminds me of a stock investment club.
(D) Lam (Vietnam), Orban (Hungary), and the Pope’s (Roman Catholic) participation is fine with me. How about opening it to Gordon Robertson, Jerry Falwell Jr., Dr. Robert Jeffress, Franklin Graham and David Jeremiah too? Who knows, perhaps they can come up with a billion or two.
(E) I’ve got a real gripe with treating any NGO, or any NGO-esque, organization as a 501 C (3), tax-exempt organization. How dare they treat these organizations like a church. Sacrilege! I see churches, or other faith entities (not anti-faith Satan entities), being tax exempt, but not these grotesque abominations. Maybe taxed at half the rate . . . maybe. Keeping track of their tax rate would help in the tracking of half the shenanigans these entities pull.
(F) Trusted members given credit cards? Fine as long as the transactions are not totally tax exempt. Again, they should be treated like investment clubs, not churches/houses of faith.
Enjoy yer time off, Bill, stay outta the snowbanks.
I agree with Leanne and Dennis Muchmore.
NOW, for some intelligent, substantive political discussion:
Who is going to show up for the gubernatorial meet and greet with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, UAW and MEA ??? Don’t you think a candidate should have the intelligence, emotional maturity and sensitivity to appear on the 54 year statewide television program “Off The Record” with Tim Skubick?
I long for the days of old, when Democrats had good ideas and glad-handers were the dominant forces. Frank Kelley and Jim Blanchard are far, far cries from today’s frightening scenario. Marxist nutjobs now are in charge of the party. DOGE has uncovered the largest fraud scheme in history that appears to benefit Democrat politicians, Somali pirate immigrants and foreign terrorists like Al Shabab. Soon, the national debt will be the equivalent of 400,000 tons of hundred dollar bills. I believe that a tipping point will be reached someday, but what do I know, with my limited highschool education? Everything seems to pale next to that. I’m glad I was spared the brainwashing! Happy New Year!
Frank J. Kelley was neverknown for chrinically embarrassing losses in action his office filed as the Michigan Department of Attorney General – but politics now under Dana Nessel have superseded the Rule of Law.
Nessel’s heir apprarent – assuming a Democratic Blue Wave sweeps Michigan in 2026 – is non other than Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald – especially since Mark Totten dropped out of the Michigan AG race as of yesterday.
McDonald has raised over $840,000 in campaign contributions and obtained endorsements from both the UAW and MEA.
The bad news for McDonald is that former Michigan State Bar President Nancy Diehl has – per Detroit Free Press Reporter Tresa Baldas – has filed a complaint with the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission against McDonald that is under investigation.
Diehl – a former senior official in Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office – contends that McDonald’s office violated discovery obligations turning over statements to the defense and using the media to prejudice the defendants in the public eye. The Crumbley case was a focus of the alleged misconduct.
Frankly, if the AGC files formal ethics charges, many would consider it a welcome development given the proliferation of “lawfare” in Michigan.