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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    A presidential campaign as a personal investment

    When he was a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination some years ago, billionaire Steve Forbes carefully separated his personal businesses from his campaign. As New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg followed the same practice.

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    By Warren Olney • Sep 26, 2016 • 31m Listen

    When he was a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination some years ago, billionaire Steve Forbes carefully separated his personal businesses from his campaign. As New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg followed the same practice. Donald Trump is doing what no rich White House contender has done before: freely and openly mixing business and politics. When he first announced, Trump boasted that he could make money running for president -- and he's making good on his promise. Trump's campaign has bought travel on his plane, rented his facilities, bought his steaks and paid his personal staff — all for more than $8 million. Nobody says that's illegal, but the Trump Foundation may have violated civil law by using other peoples' donations to finance Trump's personal lifestyle. We compare Trump's campaign to those of past billionaire candidates — and hear about potential conflicts of interest if he takes charge of federal policies.

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      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

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      Jenny Hamel

      KCRW

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      Paul von Zielbauer

      Co-founder of Geezer magazine, former producer for To the Point and Which Way LA?; former reporter for the New York Times

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      Evan George

      Director of Content, News

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      Lloyd Mayer

      Notre Dame University

    • KCRW placeholder

      Paul Waldman

      columnist for MSNBC

    • KCRW placeholder

      Julie Bykowicz

      Wall Street Journal

      NewsNationalPolitics
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