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In a case that should have the Founders of the USA spinning in their graves, The Intercept has got hold of documents relating to Peter Thiel's NZ citizenship. These documents reveal that Thiel would not normally qualify for citizenship, which requires the holder to actually reside in New Zealand. NZ law provides for citizenship under "exceptional circumstances and public interest" for people who don't plan to live in NZ.
Thiel's extreme wealth was the exceptional circumstance that allowed for citizenship and which in turn allowed Thiel to avoid certain administrative protocols that a non-citizen would have had to follow relating to the purchase of his large estate in NZ.
As part of taking up citizenship, Thiel had to pledge an oath of loyalty to HM Queen Elizabeth II (in her role as Queen of New Zealand), which certainly raises questions about either his sincerity or his fitness to be an advisor to the President.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 06 2017, @01:28AM
I don't believe oaths make a damn bit of difference to people without any morals in the first place. And I put thiel in that category.
But... oaths are a super big deal to your typical republican. So the question is, did Thiel disclose this oath when he accepted an advisory position? My gut says he did not.
And maybe it doesn't matter either, Trump's presidency has demolished any republican claim to a moral high ground on honor, integrity, morality or even patriotism (the most recent example: his making a moral equivalency between America and Putin's habit of murdering journalists).
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Azuma Hazuki on Monday February 06 2017, @01:42AM
Trump's presidency? Try Nixon's.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...