State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

NDAs and Confidential Settlements Shake State Capitols and City Halls

Governing: It was recently revealed that many of Donald Trump’s top advisers were asked to sign nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), forcing them to keep quiet about what happens in the White House -- even after his presidency ends. Ruth Marcus, deputy editorial editor of The Washington Post labeled these agreements a presidential first and “not just oppressive, but constitutionally repugnant.” Government ethics experts say they are legally questionable.

Meanwhile, confidential settlements -- which are often used to close the books (and keep them shut) on allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination -- have caused controversy on Capitol Hill, where the #MeToo movement led to the revelation that Congress spent $17 million of taxpayer money to settle these kinds of cases in the last two decades.

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