Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, HOUSE NEWS—Rep. Connolly releases a list of Trump’s 100 conflicts of interest within 100 days, several impacting employees, (May 2, 2025)

By Brandi O. Brown, J.D.

Meanwhile, Rep. Comer has nothing but praise for Trump’s first 100 days, says Trump’s “economic agenda has ended Bidenflation and is bringing jobs back to the U.S.”

Now that the first 100 days of the second Trump administration has come to an end, commentary is emerging from all angles about his performance thus far. Among those are comments from U.S. representatives sitting on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Connolly’s list of 100 conflicts. “Selling access and influence is the defining feature of the Trump White House, and this President has spent these first 100 days clearing a path for corruption and letting big corporations, his fellow felons, and billionaire buddies know that the Trump White House is open for business—for a price,” said Ranking Member Connolly. “If you put enough money directly into Trump’s personal pocket or show that you’re loyal to the MAGA Cartel, you too could find that your cases have been dropped, that red tape has been cut, or you get some lucrative business and government contracts thrown your way. Meanwhile, the Trump Administration is gutting vital government programs and services, stripping Americans of their health care and benefits, and raising families’ cost of living—all while gifting billionaires another tax giveaway. 100 days in and costs, chaos, and corruption are all up as Republicans make life harder for working Americans.”

He lists 100 items that are “just some of” the Trump administration’s conflicts of interests, including these relating to federal employees:

• At the direction of DOGE, he states, the administration fired 400 FAA employees. He notes that due to the fact that FAA had begun to fine Musk’s company SpaceX for failing to meet certain license requirements, the involvement of Musk-led DOGE in the firing of FAA employees “raises the question of whether the firings will have a chilling effect on future FAA actions regarding Musk’s companies.”

• DOGE cuts to the Transportation Department reportedly resulted in the loss of nearly half the employees at the NHTSA, which is charged with reviewing vehicle safety. These cuts raise questions about whether Musk’s actions are effectively stymying oversight of Tesla, as NHTSA has been investigating safety issues at Tesla since 2021.

• Trump appointed VA Secretary Doug Collins to simultaneously lead the Office of Special Counsel, where he could potentially have made decisions affecting the protection of VA whistleblower employees.

• DOGE laid off at least 1,300 NOAA employees, raising questions about whether Musk is laying the foundation for privatizing NOAA functions in a manner that could ultimately benefit Musk’s SpaceX.

• U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer was appointed to simultaneously hold the position of the head of the Office of Special Counsel, where he potentially could make decisions affecting the protection of USTR whistleblower employees.

• A 25-year-old DOGE staffer helping to dismantle the CFPB and oversee the layoffs of more than 1,400 employees owns as much as $365,000 worth of shares in four companies the CFPB can regulate, including Apple and Tesla, which are on the CFPB’s list of prohibited holdings.

Connolly notes that “[w]hile Musk reportedly accepted no compensation for this service, this arrangement nonetheless offered the potential benefit of brand visibility and the opportunity to showcase the service in pitching additional contracts.”

Comer sings Trump’s praises. Meanwhile, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) had this to say about Trump’s (second) first 100 days:

“America is back under President Trump’s leadership. In just 100 days, President Trump has delivered on dozens of promises made to the American people. President Trump effectively ended the Biden Border Crisis and our nation’s borders are now the most secure they have been in decades. He’s making our communities safer by removing criminal illegal aliens from our country. President Trump’s economic agenda has ended Bidenflation and is bringing jobs back to the U.S. President Trump has put a stop to the radical left’s Green New Deal scam and is restoring American-made energy dominance. And President Trump and his administration are bringing commonsense back to Washington by taking on rampant waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government. America’s future is bright under President Trump’s leadership. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will continue to work with the Trump Administration to ensure the federal government operates effectively, efficiently, and transparently, providing the service the American people deserve.”

News: WhiteHouseNews DOGE FedTracker LaborEmployment Whistleblowers PublicEmployees Layoffs