Trump names donor obsessed with illuminati to federal education board

Donald Trump has a history of subpar selections for key positions in the federal government, but his latest one might be the most comical. His choice for a slot on the Commission of Presidential Scholars, a federal education board tasked with honoring distinguished high school seniors, is George Mentz, an author of self-help books that all reference the illuminati.

But don’t worry, Mentz says — he just references the illuminati in every title for marketing purposes. Titles include “The Illuminati Handbook” and “100 Secrets and Habits of the Illuminati for Life Success.” He writes about how to, as one of his book titles puts it, “Grow Rich, Influence People, Protect Your Mindset and Love Yourself Like a Warrior.”

Mentz appealed to Trump, no doubt, by giving him money and praising him for years. He was a member of the Trump campaign’s economic coalition. He’s also currently bragging about a “blockbuster” book deal he just landed about the “success principles” of Trump. And he donated thousands of dollars to Trump.

Mentz also has the same sketchy business background as Trump. Much like the failed Trump University, Mentz heads a group — the American Academy of Financial Management  — which grants many “certifications” in exchange for money. However, they aren’t necessarily certifications anyone has heard of or would recognize as prestigious. The Wall Street Journal looked into AAFM in 2004 and found that the group awarded certifications to people who never actually took a course nor took the test showing they knew the topic. AAFM appears to exist to funnel money to Mentz while providing little in return.

During the election, Trump insisted he’d surround himself with “only with the best and most serious people” and “top-of-the-line professionals.” His choices have been anything but. Instead, he’s continually elevated people with no experience whatsoever save for their backing — particularly financially — of Trump himself.

Because of that, we’ve seen people like White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, whose primary qualification for the job was that she was on “The Apprentice” with Trump. Or take the time Trump nominated Ronny Jackson to lead the Department of Veteran’s Affairs simply because Jackson made fawning comments about how great Trump’s health was. And, of course, there’s Jared Kushner, who has no experience in government whatsoever but has been given a staggeringly large portfolio of duties, including brokering peace in the Middle East and solving the opioid epidemic.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.