One characteristic in common, before each became president, was substantial involvement in private business interests.
For Mr. Benson it was the Benson Mineral Group, and for Mr. Trump it was a wide variety of real estate interests, among other ventures.
Another area of commonality between the two is that both men have maintained that involvement in those private, outside business interests after becoming president.
While in public office, both men have also endeavored to keep the extent of those continued outside business activities as private and secret as possible.
And in both cases, that continued involvement in private activities has raised substantial questions regarding the conduct of the public offices they now hold.
The following is the 'Employment' section from the resume of University of Colorado President Bruce Benson posted on CU's web site:
"EMPLOYMENT
2008 - Present: President, University of Colorado and Executive in Residence and Professional Attendant at Business School at University of Colorado Denver.
1965 - Present: Owner and Chairman, Benson Mineral Group, Inc., an oil and gas exploration and production company. The Company also is now or has been involved in real estate (development and management), banking, mortgage servicing, cable television, real estate investment trusts, pizza franchises, restaurants, manufacturing, trucking and geothermal power."
President Benson's Resume
So the president of the University of Colorado has maintained a commitment to his private, outside business interests throughout his term as CU president.
2008 - Present: President, University of Colorado and Executive in Residence and Professional Attendant at Business School at University of Colorado Denver.
1965 - Present: Owner and Chairman, Benson Mineral Group, Inc., an oil and gas exploration and production company. The Company also is now or has been involved in real estate (development and management), banking, mortgage servicing, cable television, real estate investment trusts, pizza franchises, restaurants, manufacturing, trucking and geothermal power."
President Benson's Resume
This kind of arrangement raises a number of significant issues.
1) as a very visible public leadership model for students and other members of the university community, what is the impact of the president being seen as not wholly and undividedly committed to serving as president of the University?;
2) what are the time commitments involved in the two concurrent areas of endeavor?; is the presidency of a major public educational and research institution a position that permits time for additional major private commitments as well?
3) Mr. Benson's many business operations appear to overlap with many activities that CU is engaged in; are there any financial, or other, business conflicts of interest that might arise as a result of the dual commitments?; and
4) what is the impact of the president's advocacy of his fossil fuel business operations on University consideration of the issues of sustainability and climate change, issues of some concern to the CU student body?
Yet, in spite of the serious issues that might arise from such a continued relationship, the CU regents, when considering the appointment of Mr. Benson to the presidency of CU in early 2008, appear to have been oblivious of these outside business activities and the issues they raised.
2) what are the time commitments involved in the two concurrent areas of endeavor?; is the presidency of a major public educational and research institution a position that permits time for additional major private commitments as well?
3) Mr. Benson's many business operations appear to overlap with many activities that CU is engaged in; are there any financial, or other, business conflicts of interest that might arise as a result of the dual commitments?; and
4) what is the impact of the president's advocacy of his fossil fuel business operations on University consideration of the issues of sustainability and climate change, issues of some concern to the CU student body?
Asked at a 2013 town hall meeting if he would support the CU Foundation divesting of fossil fuel investments - a move that had recently been approved by the student body by a 2 to 1 margin - President Benson replied: "I'm not going to do that. It's a great industry."
Huffington Post, April 4, 2013
Huffington Post, April 4, 2013
The regents took no note of Mr. Benson's intention to continue in those activities once he was confirmed as president.
The regents asked no questions of the potential president regarding his outside business activities.
The regents appeared to simply ignore the issue.
There is no pubic record of any engagement by the CU regents with any of these issues:
- There is no evidence that CU regents, prior to appointing Mr. Benson as president of the University, were aware of Mr. Benson's apparent intention to maintain a commitment to his outside business interests, in addition to his presidential duties, once appointed as president of the University.
- There is no evidence that CU regents, prior to appointing Mr. Benson as president of the University, conducted a discussion, issued a report, statement, or otherwise in some manner addressed the implications of 1) the candidate's apparent intention to maintain a commitment to his outside business interests, in addition to any presidential duties, once appointed as president of the University; 2) the president of the University not being wholly and undividedly committed to serving as president of the University.
- The regents required no confidential disclosure statement from Mr. Benson regarding any outside business interests that he planned to continue involvement in once appointed as president of the university, prior to appointing Mr. Benson as president of the University of Colorado.
- The regents obtained no legal, or other outside opinion, prior to appointing Mr. Benson as president of the University of Colorado, concerning the matter of the president of the University of Colorado concurrently being committed to private, outside business interests while serving as president of the University.
- The regents obtained no legal opinion, prior to appointing Mr. Benson as president of the University of Colorado, concerning any potential conflicts of interest that might arise from his dual capacity as president of the University of Colorado while also serving as an owner and officer of a private business organization involved in a wide variety of activities.
The regents approved the appointment of Bruce Benson as president of the University of Colorado on February 20, 2008, by a vote of 5 to 3.
- There is no evidence that CU regents, prior to appointing Mr. Benson as president of the University, conducted a discussion, issued a report, statement, or otherwise in some manner addressed the implications of 1) the candidate's apparent intention to maintain a commitment to his outside business interests, in addition to any presidential duties, once appointed as president of the University; 2) the president of the University not being wholly and undividedly committed to serving as president of the University.
- The regents required no confidential disclosure statement from Mr. Benson regarding any outside business interests that he planned to continue involvement in once appointed as president of the university, prior to appointing Mr. Benson as president of the University of Colorado.
- The regents obtained no legal, or other outside opinion, prior to appointing Mr. Benson as president of the University of Colorado, concerning the matter of the president of the University of Colorado concurrently being committed to private, outside business interests while serving as president of the University.
- The regents obtained no legal opinion, prior to appointing Mr. Benson as president of the University of Colorado, concerning any potential conflicts of interest that might arise from his dual capacity as president of the University of Colorado while also serving as an owner and officer of a private business organization involved in a wide variety of activities.