Former top Trump administration official John Kelly was blasted by Democratic leaders on Friday after it was reported he had joined the board of directors of Caliburn Internation, which is a private company operating the largest government shelter for unaccompanied asylum seekers.
Leading Democrats blasted the move as political corruption by the former White House chief of staff and secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) blasted the move as, "Indecent. Immoral. Corrupt."
"John Kelly drove Trump’s child separation policy that inflicted trauma on thousands of children. Now he’ll get paid to increase profits for Caliburn – the for-profit prison reaping mega-millions locking up migrant children," Merkley added.
Presidential candidates joined Merkley in condemning Kelly.
"After implementing one of the cruelest immigration agendas in our nation’s history, disgraced Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly will now profit from detaining immigrant children and families," noted 2020 candidate Julián Castro. "Unbelievable."
"Profiting from your own cruel policies," said Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ). "This is disgusting."
"John Kelly oversaw many of the Trump Admin's most morally repugnant immigration policies. Now he could be making big bucks serving on the Board of a company that's profiting from the same cruel plans he put in place," explained Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). "This is corruption at its absolute worst."
She said she had a plan to address the misconduct.
"My plan to #EndCorruptionNow would stop senior govt officials from leaving & immediately getting paid by firms they gave contracts to. I’ll keep fighting to make that law. In the meantime, Kelly should try & save what’s left of his reputation by resigning from Caliburn’s board," Warren added.