The Kansas City Star from Kansas City, Missouri • A8

8A TUESDAY JANUARY 10 2017In Depth KANSASCITY.COM President-elect Donald son-in-law Jared Kushner, expected to become a White House adviser, has some finan- cial interests in Kansas City the One Light and Two Light apartment towers in downtown Kan- sas City. Nick Benjamin, exec- utive director of the Power Light District for The Cordish Companies, has described the Kushner Companies as a digit minority partner in both One Light and Two Cordish owns the rest of each apartment building. One Light, an $80 million project, opened in 2015. Two Light, introduced as a $105 million project, is under construction. Both received public assistance.

Benjamin said in re- sponse to a previous ques- tion that Kushner one of the largest and most respected residential de- velopment in the United States and that its executives shared their expertise throughout the devel- opment in Kan- sas City. The Cordish and Kushn- er companies both are private, multigenerational real estate developers with projects around the coun- try. Reed Cordish, principal and partner of The Cor- dish Companies, has been described in the national press as a friend of Jared Kushner, who serves as CEO of Kushner. Some news sources have report- ed that Reed Cordish also is being considered for a White House advisory role. Multiple news accounts have noted a friendly relationship between Jared Kushner and Reed Cor- dish.

Similarly, Trump and Reed father, David Cordish, reportedly are friends, having met in a court-ordered mediation after Trump sued Cordish in connection with a Flor- ida casino development. The Steve Vockrodt contributed to this report. Diane Stafford: 816-234-4359, Trump son-in-law has company interests in two KC buildings BY DIANE STAFFORD Kushner would not be taking a salary. Ivanka Trump will also be leaving her executive roles at the Trump Organi- zation her real estate company and her own fashion brands. Kushner, who turns 36 on Tuesday, emerged as one of most pow- erful campaign advisers during his presidential bid a calm- ing presence in an other- wise chaotic campaign.

He was deeply involved in the digital efforts and was usually at side during the closing weeks. He has continued to be a commanding presence during the transition, working alongside in- coming White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and senior adviser Steve Ban- non. Kushner and Bannon have worked closely on issues related to Israel, including discussions over moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, which could inflame tensions in the Middle East, and on the Trump response to a U.N. Security Council measure condemn- ing Israeli settlements.

Kushner is also weighing in on domestic policy. He joined other Trump ad- visers Monday night for a meeting with House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wis- consin Republican, on tax changes. He championed the pick of his friend Gary Cohn, the president of Goldman Sachs, for a top White House economic post, and influence within team is said to be growing. Those with knowledge of role spoke on the condition of anonym- ity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss internal matters. The anti-nepotism law had appeared to be the main obstacle to Kushner joining the White House.

In arguing that the mea- sure did not apply to the West Wing, Gorelick cited an opinion from two feder- al court judges in a 1993 case involving Hillary work on her health care law. She said Trump planned to seek an advisory opinion on the nepotism law from the Justice Office of Legal Counsel. Gorelick worked in the Clinton administration at both the Pentagon and Justice Department. Like his father-in-law, Kushner pushed a mid- sized real estate company into the high-stakes battle- field of Manhattan. Though he is often viewed as more moderate than Trump, people close to him say he fully bought into the Trump fiery populist message that resonated with white, working-class voters.

He never publicly distanced himself from more provocative stances, including the call for a Muslim-immigra- tion ban and his doubts about President Barack birthplace. FROM PAGE 1A KUSHNER JABIN BOTSFORD The Washington Post Kushner and Steve Bannon, right, have worked closely on issues related to Israel, including discussions over moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. the powerful influence of religion. DeVos attended Holland Christian Schools, and she belongs to the Christian Reformed Church, a Calvinist de- nomination.

The nominee for educa- tion secretary graduated from Calvin College, a liberal arts institution in Grand Rapids that pares students to be agents in renewal in the Not far away is The House private school, one of her favorite education charities. A school, birthed in prayer and rooted in it offers generous scholar- ships to poor students. DeVos herself repre- sents the confluence of two Michigan fortunes. Through her father, she was heir to the Prince auto-parts em- pire. The father of her husband, Dick DeVos founded Amway, whose parent company is closely held Alticor Inc.

Through her network of nonprofit organizations and political-action com- mittees such as American Federation for Children and the Great Lakes Edu- cation Project, DeVos is pushing to direct public money into private reli- gious schools like House. Since 1989, DeVos and her relatives have given at least $20.2 mil- lion to Republican candi- dates, party committees, political-action commit- tees and super PACs, according to OpenSecret- s.org, which tracks money in politics. DeVos, a former chair- woman of the Michigan Republican Party, de- clined an interview re- quest. Her support for vouch- ers stems from one of her core beliefs. the education dol- lar follow each child, in- stead of forcing the child to follow the she said in a 2015 speech.

is straightforward. And how you go from a closed system to an open system that encourages In Michigan, she sup- ported a ballot measure on vouchers that failed. She then funded successful efforts in states including Indiana, where most of the money goes to reli- gious schools. Trump has proposed $20 billion in federal money for vouch- ers. As a second choice, DeVos favors public schools operated by pri- vate organizations, or charter schools.

The Great Lakes Education Project of Lansing, Mich. a combi- nation of a political-action committee, lobbying group and nonprofit edu- cational fund pushed for a charter-school law that now gives the private organizations more free- dom and less oversight than in most states. In Grand Rapids, near the airport, her fam- ily founded its own char- ter school. Her husband, who loves airplanes, start- ed West Michigan Avia- tion Academy, which offers student training on its pair of Cessna planes. Full-size airplanes hang from the ceiling of the main school commons area, and a partially dis- assembled helicopter forms the centerpiece of a study area.

Students not only learn to fly, they also build remote-control air- craft as well as robots. About a third of the stu- dents are in the pilot pro- gram. As is typical at the charter schools, the nonprofit academy has a contract with a company called Michigan Educa- tional Personnel Services, which provides adminis- trative support. The charter law, as crafted by DeVos allies, has been among the most hospita- ble for for-profit compa- nies. But Betsy heart is clearly in vouchers.

schools take a while to start up and get she said in a 2013 interview. while, there are very good nonpublic schools, hang- ing on by a shoestring, that can begin taking stu- dents Michigan politi- cal-action committee last year advocated unsuccess- fully for dissolving De- financially strug- gling school district rather than spending $617 mil- lion to rescue it. Such stances have earned her opposition from the Amer- ican Federation of Teach- ers. is a poster child for wanting to decimate pub- lic said Presi- dent Randi Weingarten. In Grand Rapids, how- ever, the family has donat- ed $3.3 million to help turn around failing public schools and promote spe- cialized offerings, such as one at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

The su- perintendent has credited DeVos for her support of the rescue plan. Still, even in public schools, DeVos sometimes looks to churches for sal- vation. She has long backed a charity called Kids Hope USA, which sends volunteers from churches into public schools. In Grand Rapids, DeVos has been a mentor, served as board chairwo- man and is a national adviser to the organiza- tion. DeVos may be a lighting rod nationally, but not in Grand Rapids.

Her fam- philanthropy has spurred 3,300 new hous- ing units and 90 new bars and restaurants including Hop Cats and Buffalo Wings, according to Grand Action, the group her husband helped found in 1993. In 2013, the new breweries in Grand Rapids won it the title City Thanks in part to money from the family, Grand Valley State University has doubled enrollment, to 25,000, by adding six new specialized branches in downtown Grand Rapids. The community is trying to keep talented students from leaving for work elsewhere, said Tom Haas, the presi- dent. family are keenly interested in Haas said. understand the return on a public- private FROM PAGE 5A DEVOS IS A POSTERCHILD FOR WANTING TO DECIMATE PUBLIC EDUCATION.

Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers ers when it comes to eth- ics reform. House Speaker Todd Richardson, a Poplar Bluff Republican, has promised a lobbyist gift ban will be the first bill the House passes this year. True to that pledge, a gift ban bill won approval of a House committee early Monday morning, meaning the full House could pass the bill and send it to the Senate early next week. In the Senate, where the lobbyist gift ban died last year, leaders seem optimistic they can over- come opposition that has stalled many ethics bills over the years. But Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard has already put the kibosh on another plank in ethics reform agenda: A law prohibiting lawmakers from working as lobbyists until been out of office as long as they served.

Richard said such a bill could never pass the Senate. Besides ethics reform, inaugural ad- dress focused less on pol- icy proposals which lay out next week during his state of the state address to a joint session of the legislature and more on his overall philosophy of government. One of the worst lies in politics, Greitens said, is the promise that government can fix any problem and find every Government can em- power business leaders do good and to dare great- ly but the doing and daring is up to Government can pro- vide assistance to the poor, no amount of money given by a govern- ment can ever provide the meaning, strength and dignity that comes from a good-paying Government bureau- cracy is wrong place to look if seeking Greitens said. comes from individual And while government can invest in police and law enforcement, the most anti-crime program ever known is a dad playing ball with his son and setting for his boy an example of how a strong man cherishes women, protects the young, and honors the In addition to Greitens, Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Breckenridge adminis- tered the oath of office to four other brand-new statewide elected officials: Lt. Gov.

Mike Parson, Attorney General Josh Hawley, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and Treasur- er Eric Schmitt. The new slate of state- wide elected officials marks the ascension of a new generation of Mis- souri politicians. Parson is 61, but Ashcroft is the next oldest at 43, with Greitens at 42, Schmitt at 41 and Hawley at 37. The only Democrat holding holding a statewide office, Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway, is 34. After signing the exec- utive orders, Greitens and his wife, Sheena, greeted guests at the Mansion.

Later in the evening, the new first family were to dance the Missouri Waltz at the Inaugural Ball, a tradition in the Show-Me State for new governors. The evening was to be capped with a perform- ance by Sara Evans, an award winning country music singer and song- writer from Boonville. Greitens, the first Republican governor in eight years, takes office with his party holding super majorities in both the Missouri House and Senate. Many of the ideas he campaigned on have been GOP priorities for years, but they never got across the finish line be- cause of Democratic Gov. Jay veto pen.

The new GOP adminis- tration has raised the expectation that there will be a deluge of GOP legis- lation making its way to desk in the com- ing months. Greitens tem- pered expectations Mon- day, saying that the history us that Missourians have always understood that big achievements demand hard mean Grei- tens said, alluding to the state nickname. means it can be done, and we will do Jason Hancock: 573-634-3565, KEITH MYERS The national anthem kicked off the inaugural ball in Jefferson City, held Monday in the rotunda of the Capitol building. FROM PAGE 1A GREITENS.