Yes, of Course Ivanka Clutching a Can of Goya Beans Is an Ethics Violation

Four years into her father’s presidency, Ivanka Trump still loves to shit all over ethics rules meant to prevent government officials from abusing their offices.

Her latest offense is an image she tweeted of herself lovingly cupping a can of Goya beans, a brand of she has almost certainly never thought about before but suddenly loves after the company’s CEO, Robert Unanue, praised Donald Trump last week.

“We are all truly blessed..to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder,” Unanue said, according to CNN. “We have an incredible builder, and we pray. We pray for our leadership, our president.”

Unanue’s bid for free presidential advertising worked like a charm, of course. Earlier today, Trump followed his daughter/senior advisor’s lead, and posted a photo of himself on Instagram leering ghoulishly over a lineup of Goya products, his tiny thumbs raised in approval.

According to guidelines from the United States Office of Government Ethics,

“Executive branch employees may not use their Government positions to suggest that the agency or any part of the executive branch endorses an organization (including a nonprofit organization), product, service, or person).”

So yes, littering the White House with Goya cans would appear to be a clear ethics violation; one of many that Ivanka has amassed during her time as her father’s advisor. As Jordan Libowitz of the watchdog group CREW, or Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said in a statement:

“It would be hard for Ivanka Trump to argue that her post was in a personal capacity now. As for President Trump, unlike those who work for him, the President is exempted from many of the laws and rules we count on to enforce ethics in government. This administration has proved that to be a mistake.” You think?