Democratic US lawmakers introduce bill to bar foreign payments to president

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Yahoo! News/Reuters

Tue, May 21, 2024 at 7:02 PM EDT


WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democratic U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation on Tuesday that would bar the president and other top officials from accepting payments from foreign governments while in office, a measure clearly aimed at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

The bill, which has no chance of passing the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives as the Nov. 5 election approaches, is aimed at tightening enforcement of the Constitution's "Emoluments Clause."

House Oversight Committee Democrats released a report in January that found businesses tied to former President Trump received at least $7.8 million in foreign payments from 20 countries during his four years in the White House.

"For centuries, the President and other high-ranking government officials strictly respected the Foreign and Domestic Emoluments Clauses. Sadly, President Trump's brazen acceptance of illegal foreign payments and benefits showed the need for clear rules enforcing the Constitution's preeminent anti-corruption provisions," said Senator Richard Blumenthal, who introduced the bill with Representative Jamie Raskin.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/democratic-us-lawmakers-introduce-bill-230246317.html

[Walleye]

1. Unfortunately the person who needs this law, won't respect laws and gets away with it

[essaynnc]

2. This begs the real question here...

Although the show is not over yet, it looks like we may have barely survived this attempted coup and take over of the US government.
What guard rails need to be put into place to keep this from happening again in the future by someone a little bit smarter and a little bit more connected and a little bit more political than the present orange monkey?
I realized that not a lot can be done with the Republican house, but what's in it for the future? How do we protect our democracy in the years to come?
This looks like a first baby step.

[dutch777]

7. Even though things may not pass in this House, it does allow them to be talking and campaign points

So by all means Dem legislators, keep proposing things and lets use their dismissal by Repugs as points in political ads going forward.

[thesquanderer]

3. Article says TFG "left his adult sons to manage his companies" but...

...it seems like he was still involved enough that he had to personally sign checks...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218941410

[NanaCat]

15. Look at the bottom of the post you want to remove.

You'll find a box that says 'Powers.'

Click on that and a yellow box will appear below the post that lets you self-delete.

[essaynnc]

16. Thank you thank you thank you!

[LiberalFighter]

5. Personally I think this should apply to after they leave office too.

And to any elected or appointed federal official. And their spouses.

[gab13by13]

6. And Jimmy Carter had to put his peanut farm in a blind trust.

2 sets of rules for Democrats and Magats. Making more rules will only restrict Democrats, Magats are not held accountable.

Dick Durbin just stated he will not investigate corruption in the Supreme Court by Alito and Thomas. What good are laws if Magats don't abide by them?

[SomewhereInTheMiddle]

8. I had hoped

... that President Biden would push for regulation adn legislation that codified many of the limits on presidential powers that prior presidents had followed because it was traditional and expected. Our last president showed how these were not real barriers to a bad person choosing to ignore custom and push laws beyond their breaking point.

If the laws were more explicit in their limitations on presidential limits and requirements perhaps that might be avoided in the future.

"Donald, that there is why future presidents won't be able to have nice things anymore. You've ruined it for everyone!"

[surfered]

9. Because the Constitutional originalists do not think the Emoluments Clause means what it says

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Maybe a law to force SCOTUS to follow the Constitution would work

[FakeNoose]

11. I hope this gets extended to members of Congress too

We can be sure that the Repukes will never pass a law such as this.
So it's up to Democrats to play "Mommy and Daddy."

[dlk]

12. It's a start

There’s much to be done enacting ethics rules, with teeth. Integrity in our leaders can’t be taken for granted, as we’ve clearly seen, with Trump, and his grifter contingent.

[TeamProg]

13. The main reason Repukes would vote against a common sense Bill is because they don't like democracy in America.

None of the America's; North, Central or South.

[republianmushroom]

14. Like it