Presidential libraries are intended to preserve and make accessible the legacies of our former presidents. Their operations make a case study for substantial questions of ethics and transparency. The process for fundraising for these libraries has virtually no oversight. This provision of the law is what gives sitting and former presidents the freedom to raise such unlimited contributions. The resulting vacuum of regulation makes it inviting for presidents to fundraise while in office. This conduct opens the door to serious conflicts of interest and ethical violations.
Donald Trump has recently brought renewed attention to these issues, further accelerating the rustling of threats to the integrity of our presidential libraries. His approach toward fundraising—and the building of new libraries—has already drawn criticism. He intends to include a $400 million Doha purchase of a plane in his library—an act perfectly legal but deeply toxic to do so—to his library.
Presidential libraries can have annual operational costs in the neighborhood of $100 million combined. Once these libraries are established, the cost of maintenance falls on the federal government. It’s customary for each President to set up private foundations in advance of federal money taking off. This troubling practice begs fundamental questions about accountability and oversight in the deployment of these donations.
Presidential libraries make that narrative change all the time with each administration, changing their stories to give a more well-rounded view on history’s hot-button controversies. After all, Ronald Reagan’s library is known as “Graceland for conservatives.” It contains overwhelmingly one-sided exhibits, which proudly tout Trump’s presidency. Even Bill Clinton’s library was subjected to some criticism at the time. See our analysis here — Critics complain it makes “significant editorial choices” to downplay the impact of his impeachment scandal.
Richard Nixon’s library takes an even more contentious stance, framing Watergate as a “coup organized by the media and Democratic elites.” These types of representations are further damaging to the ongoing conversation around the integrity of these institutions, as national archives of history.
As with most things associated with the presidency, past presidential libraries have been wildly inconsistent in cost. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s library is worth $5 million today, while Barack Obama’s jumped up to an incredible $830 million. At a cost of $327 million for George W. Bush’s library, the deep pockets needed to preserve these halls of fame are laid bare.
That – the potential for corruption – is a very real, very present, endemic problem. For nearly 30 years now, bribery has been alleged. Confederate pardons Allegations have emerged that some presidential pardons have been contingent on donations to these libraries. John Oliver has pointed out that this fundraising approach serves as a “preferred vehicle for what I’m apparently legally not allowed to call shakedowns or extortion attempts.”
Oliver further criticized the system, stating that it “throws the door wide open for corruption.” He emphasized that this scenario is not an isolated incident but rather “merely laying bare a system that’s actually been problematic all along.” The comedian’s comments highlight a deeper issue – the ethics behind how presidents can raise money and operate their libraries.
The lack of clarity around what constitutes personal gift giving vs. bribery is where the danger lies. Oliver noted that donations can be “at best a personal gift and at worse an active bribe,” illustrating the challenges associated with distinguishing between genuine support and corrupt practices.