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   From: remailer@domain.invalid   
      
   Watchdog group calls for ethics investigation into USAID chief   
      
   U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Samantha   
   Power in her financial disclosure report significantly underreported   
   the value of her investments, a discrepancy that could have   
   prevented the Senate from accurately vetting her financial records,   
   according to a formal complaint filed with the Office of Government   
   Ethics.   
      
   Power lowballed the amount she held in a Cayman Islands-based   
   investment fund by nearly $1 million. She said she held a stake in   
   the fund valued between $50,000 and $100,000, according to a copy of   
   her financial disclosure report filed in February ahead of her   
   Senate confirmation and reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon. But   
   when she sold off the holding in June, as required by a federal   
   ethics agreement, Power listed the sale as between $1,000,001 and   
   $5,000,000—at least 10 times higher than the value four months   
   before, according to the American Accountability Foundation watchdog   
   group, which filed the ethics complaint.   
      
   The group is calling on the Office of Government Ethics to   
   investigate the disparity and says Power may have run afoul of   
   ethics laws.   
      
   "As the head of a government agency, Administrator Power is expected   
   to be above reproach and to comport to the highest level of ethical   
   behavior," said Matthew Buckham, the leader of the American   
   Accountability Foundation, in a Monday letter to Office of   
   Government Ethics director Emory Rounds. "Due to the large   
   discrepancy between Ms. Power's initial reporting prior to her   
   confirmation and the report filed at the sale of her assets, we urge   
   the Office of Government Ethics to investigate the matter for any   
   potential misconduct that may have occurred."   
      
   Buckham said the difference could be due to Power's assets' growing   
   in value but noted that the increase was significant enough to   
   warrant investigation.   
      
   "Ms. Power needs to answer whether she had prior knowledge of the   
   value of her asset with The Social+Capital Partnership GP III, L.P.   
   and why she reported it significantly lower than what she obtained   
   from the sale," said Buckham.   
      
   USAID did not respond to a request for comment.   
      
   As a federal nominee, Power was required to disclose the "identity   
   and category of value" of any property or investments held in the   
   previous calendar year that has a "fair market value which exceeds   
   $1,000," according to federal law. Individuals who intentionally   
   falsify or omit information on the financial disclosure form can be   
   subject to a fine of up to $50,000 and prison time of up to one   
   year.   
      
   Power, a former Obama administration official, has served as the   
   administrator of USAID since May, where she oversees the   
   distribution and monitoring of over half of the foreign aid budget.   
      
   The Social+Capital Partnership GP III, L.P. is a Cayman Islands-   
   based private equity fund connected to Social Capital, a Silicon   
   Valley venture capital firm founded by tech investor Chamath   
   Palihapitiya. The firm has investments in startup companies around   
   the world and close connections with Democratic Party insiders. Bill   
   and Hillary Clinton son-in-law Marc Mezvinsky was a vice chairman at   
   Social Capital.   
      
   In addition to Power's stake in the fund, she also served as an   
   adviser to Social Capital until she stepped down to become USAID   
   administrator. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a six-figure   
   investment and advisory role with the company until earlier this   
   year.   
      
   Power was at the center of several controversies during the Obama   
   administration. As ambassador to the United Nations toward the end   
   of the Obama administration, she reportedly "unmasked" the names of   
   hundreds of Americans identified in  intelligence reports—a practice   
   that some congressional Republicans say was abused to target Trump   
   campaign officials and Democrats' other adversaries.   
      
   During Power's confirmation, she was grilled by Sen. Chuck Grassley   
   (R., Iowa) over allegedly trying to get a terror-designated charity   
   group, the Islamic Relief Agency, removed from the U.S. sanctions   
   list.   
      
      
   https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/power-underreported-   
   investments-by-nearly-1-million-ahead-of-senate-confirmation-   
   complaint-alleges/   
      
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