Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said alleged corruption under President Donald Trump could impose costs on Americans through lost jobs, higher prices, fewer consumer choices and additional financial harm.
Schiff Warns of Corruption Costs
On Tuesday, in a post on X, Schiff said, "The cost of this administration’s corruption is hard to measure."
He added, "But one thing is for certain: it’s the American people who are paying the price."
In a video shared alongside the post, Schiff said corruption could affect Americans directly when government decisions are influenced by personal financial interests.
"Obviously, we should want no corruption in the government for its own sake," He said. "But there’s a cost to the public of all of this."
Schiff Cites Jobs and Higher Prices
Schiff cited the pending merger of Paramount Skydance Corp. (NASDAQ:PSKY) and Warner Bros Discovery Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD), alleging that if a deal went through because Trump received $16 million from one of the entertainment companies rather than because it benefited consumers, the public could face consequences.
"That means that there’re going to be thousands of jobs that are lost as a result of the merger," he said.
He added that Americans could have "fewer choices in what we watch" and potentially pay more for streaming services.
Schiff also argued that pardoning people convicted of fraud could carry costs by eliminating restitution and potentially allowing further fraud.
Democrats Cite Trump Corruption
Earlier, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) accused the Trump administration of favoring Taylor Farms on food-traceability rules before the company donated $1 million to MAGA Inc., arguing that weaker traceability rules may have contributed to the Cyclospora outbreak.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticized alleged payments by trading firms for early access to Trump’s Truth Social posts, saying a private-company CEO could face jail time for similar conduct.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) alleged the administration had favored companies that donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund, citing United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL), Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL) and Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE:TM).
She called the actions "a pattern of corruption that costs you money."
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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