Mousterian
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- Jul 26, 2015
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From BBC News
Trump Organization handover plan slammed by ethics chief - BBC News
The director of the US Office of Government Ethics has sharply criticised Donald Trump's plan to hand his global business empire to his sons before his inauguration on 20 January.....
The biggest objection arises from the so called emoluments clause of the US constitution. It expressly forbids anyone in government from receiving gifts or benefits ("emoluments") from foreign powers. If Donald Trump still owns his companies, then even if he's not managing them, the argument goes, he will still be the beneficiary of many of the Trump Organization's foreign businesses.
Professor Richard Painter, who was President George W Bush's chief ethics lawyer, stated frankly: "The plan we heard today does not comply with the law."
Professor Norman Eisen, who did the same job for President Obama, agreed with that and also offered an ominous forecast for the president-elect.
"What Donald J Trump has done today is contrary to the most fundamental law of the United States of America," he said. "The emoluments clause is no minor feature of the constitution... So these conflicts of interest are core. I do not believe that any of the branches of government will stand for it."
Trump Organization handover plan slammed by ethics chief - BBC News
The director of the US Office of Government Ethics has sharply criticised Donald Trump's plan to hand his global business empire to his sons before his inauguration on 20 January.....
The biggest objection arises from the so called emoluments clause of the US constitution. It expressly forbids anyone in government from receiving gifts or benefits ("emoluments") from foreign powers. If Donald Trump still owns his companies, then even if he's not managing them, the argument goes, he will still be the beneficiary of many of the Trump Organization's foreign businesses.
Professor Richard Painter, who was President George W Bush's chief ethics lawyer, stated frankly: "The plan we heard today does not comply with the law."
Professor Norman Eisen, who did the same job for President Obama, agreed with that and also offered an ominous forecast for the president-elect.
"What Donald J Trump has done today is contrary to the most fundamental law of the United States of America," he said. "The emoluments clause is no minor feature of the constitution... So these conflicts of interest are core. I do not believe that any of the branches of government will stand for it."
