The rules of the presidency are clear when it comes to the emoluments clause: no president should profit off his position in the White House. To do so is unethical, as it creates concerns about where a president’s loyalities lie.
“The fact is, when we stay at his hotels and his properties, he makes money. Nobody is supposed to make money from the presidency, directly or indirectly, and they are supposed to report these possibilities to the Congress, so we have knowledge,” Cohen https://t.co/bz4yEMphBt
— Lise Latulippe (@lise_latulippe) June 23, 2019
House Democrats have passed spending bills that would require Trump to report any profits he makes from his businesses while in office. An example of why this was so important was presented recently during Trump’s visit to Europe, in which he made a stop in Ireland and requested a meeting with the prime minister at one of his international golf resorts. Trump had no official business in Ireland, and the trip there was seen mostly as a taxpayer-funded promotional visit. The spending bills introduced by House Democrats would specifically forbid such actions.
According to The Hill:
‘Two annual spending bills House Democrats have brought to the floor to keep the government funded past September include provisions that would prohibit certain federal agencies from entering contracts or using taxpayer dollars at Trump businesses, including his hotels, golf courses and condominiums across the globe.’
Donald Trump is making July 4th in DC all about himself. Side benefit: bigly profit from his DC hotel. #emoluments https://t.co/kEPqwCOq7E
— Nick Knudsen ?? (@DemWrite) June 23, 2019
Although no other president owned hotels and stayed at them during their time in office, Republicans are opposing this measure as an issue of national security. Trump, they say, could be in danger staying at other hotels and golf resorts. The efforts to continue secretly padding Trump’s pockets is blatant but unsurprising from Trump’s GOP cronies.
‘But the effort faces opposition from Republicans who dismiss it as a “partisan stunt” that could jeopardize the president’s security. That will likely make it difficult for the bills to become law in negotiations with the GOP-controlled Senate.’
Rep. Greg Pence, brother of Mike Pence, reported spending more than $7,600 in campaign funds on lodging at the Trump International Hotel in the first few months after his election, although lawmakers are supposed to pay for their own housing in D.C. https://t.co/ndi6JXoe7f
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 16, 2019
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Rep. Jamie Maskin (D-MD) have committed to including the provision in every annual spending bill during Trump’s time in office. Profiting off the presidency is an issue of gross misconduct and an impeachable offense, which should make passing these provisions an easy win, but the GOP knows that Trump has no reason to continue serving in office if he can’t make money from it while duping his base into believing he’s somehow sacrificing by serving in office. Cohen explained that the provision is a no-brainer:
‘The fact is, when we stay at his hotels and his properties, he makes money. Nobody is supposed to make money from the presidency, directly or indirectly, and they are supposed to report these possibilities to the Congress, so we have knowledge.’
The House Foreign Affairs Committee is quietly amassing documents on allegations of politically-motivated retaliation at the State Department and is looking into whether Trump has violated foreign emoluments and conflict of interest rules. https://t.co/qSjfb0TwKF
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 17, 2019
Featured image via Flickr by Gage Skidmore under a Creative Commons license