Senate Democrats Voice Concerns Over Bill Shine's Ties to Fox News

By Natalie Andrews 

WASHINGTON -- Four Democratic senators on Monday asked the White House to answer questions about whether Trump communications adviser and former Fox News executive Bill Shine is violating conflict-of-interest laws as he continues to get paid by 21st Century Fox.

The letter sent by Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island says Mr. Shine could be breaking the law by receiving bonuses from his previous employer while working at the White House.

According to Mr. Shine's recently released financial disclosure, he received an $8.4 million severance payment from 21st Century Fox in 2017 and is scheduled to receive additional payments of $3.5 million in 2018 and 2019. Mr. Shine began working at the White House in July and serves as deputy chief of staff for communications.

"21st Century Fox's previous and ongoing payments to Mr. Shine of millions of dollars in severance payments raise questions about his compliance with federal conflict of interest statutes and regulations," the senators wrote in the letter sent Monday to acting White House counsel Emmet Flood.

Mr. Shine declined to comment about the letter.

Under federal law, people who have received an "extraordinary" payment from an employer before entering government service are barred from participating in matters involving that employer. President Trump signed an executive order in January 2017 banning political appointees from participating in work for previous employers up to two years before the appointment.

The senators question whether Mr. Shine is breaking the law because his White House role puts him in contact with employees and affiliates of Fox News while receiving payments from 21st Century Fox, the owner of Fox News.

"He has, for example, helped prepare President Trump for interviews with Fox News hosts, and he reportedly communicates with 21st Century Fox Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch," the senators wrote. Fox Co-Chairman Rupert Murdoch is also executive chairman of The Wall Street Journal's parent company News Corp.

The senators asked the White House to respond to a series of questions about Mr. Shine's compliance with federal ethics law by Jan. 2.

Mr. Shine left Fox News last year in one of a string of high-profile departures amid a sexual-harassment controversy. He was never accused of harassment. In lawsuits, some Fox News employees and former executives have alleged that Mr. Shine ignored complaints of bad behavior by the former chairman and chief executive Roger Ailes and enabled an environment that was hostile to women. Fox News had denied any wrongdoing by Mr. Shine.

Write to Natalie Andrews at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 10, 2018 18:29 ET (23:29 GMT)

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