AT LAST. Some action on the Emoluments Clause

[RandomAccess]

This has chapped my hide about Trump since before he was inaugurated. Senator Bluementhal to the rescue --

UNROLLED: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1002380514685140992.html

One week out from oral arguments in our case to compel the President to obey the Constitution of the United States. We’re seeking to hold President Trump accountable for violating the Foreign Emoluments Clause – the Constitution’s preeminent anti-corruption provision.

President Trump has repeatedly&flagrantly violated the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause. He has thumbed his nose at its plain text, and in doing so, thumbed his nose at the American people as well.

What is the Foreign Emoluments Clause? Before the President receives any gifts, payments, or benefits from foreign governments he must first receive the consent of Congress. Pretty simple, right? Not for this President.

Thanks to the work of investigative journalists, we already know that President Trump has benefited from foreign governments granting him&his businesses trademarks&overseas governments paying rent to Trump properties. What don’t we know?

President Trump calls his business dealings with foreign governments “little conflicts of interest.” But they have big implications for American policy&Americans’ trust in their government.
Mr. President, we’ll see you in court.


TWITTER THREAD:

Link to tweet

[Achilleaze]

1. Compel the pResident* to obey the Constitution

Make it so, despite republicans enabling him to keep pissing on the US Constitution.


* aka republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief

[getagrip_already]

8. and he will ignore any rulings....

and it will still be up to congress to remove him. which they won't do while the base supports him.

[Maraya1969]

9. Whenever this is over I hope our government can freeze his bank accounts and then give him a huge

fine. It would be so wrong if he were able to keep all this money that is flooding in to him just because he is the president and because he ignores the law.

[ashling]

16. I agree

[librechik]

28. his bank accounts (snicker)

empty or mortgaged to the hilt, no doubt.

[BigmanPigman]

29. They can seize his assets and his family's like they did with Bernie Madoff.

The person who is in favor of this issue is none other than Sessions. There are pros and cons in doing this. We could make the tRump and family bankrupt ...pro, BIG pro! The flip side is that the people who can have this happen to them isn't the moron but completely different people would lose their assets, like people who sell weed for example and Sessions doesn't like it, takes their assets, and then they are found to be innocent or the rule of law has recently changed as far as weed goes in various states and they don't get their assets back.

I am over simplifying this and not explaining it well. Other DUers have explained it much better to me.

[Volaris]

20. The Congress can't compel a damn thing.

Either the president does as Congress wishes and instructs, of his own volition, or Congress can impeach. That's it. There's no third 'party' that can apply force of law, because the Executive Branch IS that application of force. The president isn't gonna arrest himself heh.

[jpak]

2. K&R

[BSdetect]

3. A conviction soon, please.

[Plucketeer]

15. Conviction?

Remember, this is the guy who proudly proclaimed he could shoot someone in Times Square - in broad daylight - and would suffer no consequences. And while it would seem that he hasn't overtly killed someone with a firearm, the truth is that he's killed hundreds - if not thousands - of people just by taking to the desk in the Oval Office.

[Sophia4]

22. Puerto Rico-- utter neglect.

[Kurt V.]

4. Great news

what court? the supreme court?

[dhill926]

5. good deal....

keep after the son of a bitch...relentlessly....

[ProudMNDemocrat]

6. Finally......

A topic that Richard Painter keeps harping on.

DFL State Convention in Rochester this weekend. I think he will be there to speak on his behalf for run for US Senate from Minnesota.

[dajoki]

7. K&R

[yallerdawg]

10. Funneling taxpayer money to his personal private businesses exclusively...

for golf and resort activities, meetings, restaurants and dining is also unpresidented!

This is corruption at a level unheard of in American history, right before our eyes, as irredeemably deplorable as anything else!

[olegramps]

11. He and his base say go screw yourself. You are helpless to do anything. Pretty sad situation.

[Plucketeer]

19. That's it in a nutshell!

The founding fathers gave the American governmental system enough credit to not get itself into such a predicament. When the American populace got a say, they proved how malleable they were when hammered by snake oil sales pitches. Apathy and determined ignorance have given us their offspring and no one seems to know how to drive a stake thru it.

[erronis]

18. Unheard of in American history, but very common in 3rd world dictatorships and Putin's russia.

[Uncle Joe]

12. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread RandomAccess

[Dem_4_Life]

13. Awesome news!

[rainin]

14. The constitution.....another thing the Republicans used to care about.

This is good news.

[lame54]

17. Good luck with that

[Hulk]

21. Once he is out on the street as mr. citizen again....

I would think his investments would turn to mud. Who, in their right mind, would want anything to do with this disgraceful bag of shit once they can't get something in return. I would NEVER stay in one of his hotels (probably couldn't afford any of them anyway), nor would I purchase anything remotely connected to this sob or his spawn.

[triron]

23. kick for visibility

[FirstLight]

24. Wouldn't it be nice...

if the rule of law actually accounted for something in this era?

I am glad he is bringing this suit, it's about time. But as many upthread have pointed out, nothing will change because he will just call it "fake" and ignore any rulings.

You know, when I hear people or media saying "will this cause a Constitutional crisis?" about something Trump has yet to do, all I can think is : "We're already there!"

[pansypoo53219]

25. BAN HIM FROM MAR A LAGO DAMMIT! or the ss gets to stay for FREEEEEEEEE!

[Wounded Bear]

26. It should be an impeachable offense...

[bitterross]

27. I think the case will be dismissed. That is probably a good thing though.

The courts will probably find Congress has the jurisdiction and the remedy for this with impeachment and that if the courts step into the matter they are violating the separation of powers in the Constitution.

On Edit: If I have guessed correctly, I'm not sure that would be the wrong thing for the courts to do. We really need Congress to do it's job and I don't know if the courts are the proper backup for that in this case. I'm thinking about the future when there is a Democratic President for whom the GOP wants to cause problems. If the courts set the precedent now that they will step in when congress doesn't do its job I can see them perverting that later to use the judges they are confirming now to be a really big problem for a legitimate President doing legitimate things with Executive Orders or other actions.

[elleng]

30. The Title of Nobility Clause is a provision in Article I, Section 9, Clause 8

of the United States Constitution, that prohibits the federal government from granting titles of nobility, and restricts members of the government from receiving gifts, emoluments, offices or titles from foreign states without the consent of the United States Congress. Also known as the Emoluments Clause, it was designed to shield the republican character of the United States against so-called "corrupting foreign influences." This shield is reinforced by the corresponding prohibition on state titles of nobility in Article I, Section 10, and more generally by the Republican Guarantee Clause in Article IV, Section 4.

'No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_of_Nobility_Clause