Our Twitter-troll-in-chief successfully manufactured a grand distraction of the media this past week by engaging in outrageus behavior with his “Gold Star family” scandal to stop them from reporting on subjects he does not want them to cover.
A subject the media failed to cover this past week while distracted by bright shiny objects was the first court hearing in one of the first emoluments clause cases filed against Donald Trump for his profiting off of his position as president.
Dahlia Lithwick reports, Would $1 Million in Hot Dogs Violate the Emoluments Clause?
In a federal courthouse in Manhattan on Wednesday morning, lawyers for the Department of Justice tried to persuade Federal District Judge George B. Daniels to toss the civil lawsuit accusing the president of violating the Constitution by accepting foreign money while in office. Perhaps the high point of the morning came when a Trump lawyer conceded that if the president were to accept $1 million in hot dogs purchased from an imaginary Trump hot dog business as a gift to sign a foreign treaty, he would probably run afoul of the most obscure constitutional provision you’ve never heard of. Metaphor, meet the president of the United States.
You may recall that back in November everyone was casting about trying to find a name for the phenomenon wherein a presidential candidate who promises to release his tax returns if elected and declines to do so, then promises to divest himself of his foreign business interests from which he would profit as president and fails to do so, and then stands next to a tower of empty folders and tells us ethics rules don’t apply to the White House and he doesn’t care if you’re mad about that. You may also recall that this was around the time the word emoluments became something other than that stuff you use to keep your skin smooth and supple.
The Foreign Emoluments Clause can be found in Article I, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution, and it bars anyone holding an “office” from accepting presents or emoluments from “any King, Prince or Foreign State” without “the consent of Congress.” (The Constitution actually has three separate emoluments clauses, but only the foreign and domestic clauses came up in oral arguments on Wednesday.) In the simplest possible terms, the Emoluments Clause prohibits government officials from accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments. Here’s the sticky bit: We don’t have a lot of doctrine in this area because it’s never been litigated, chiefly because most presidents haven’t wanted to look like they were cashing in on the office with club fees, Chinese trademarks, and jacked-up hotel drink prices. But this president doesn’t care about any of that.
Because he failed to fully divest from his businesses and because foreigners are dropping a whole lot of cash at Trump properties, the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, and co-plaintiffs Eric Goode, Jill Phaneuf, and the Restaurant Opportunities Center United filed a lawsuit in New York claiming the president was violating the Emoluments Clause. There are two similar suits pending in other courts.
Arguing Wednesday on behalf of the president, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate says the court should dismiss the entire proceeding. Shumate says the plaintiffs lack standing—that they have suffered no particularized injury that merits a court’s intercession. He also argues that the court has no jurisdiction to enjoin a sitting president from participating in commercial business, and he says the plaintiffs have incorrectly defined emoluments so as to preclude anyone in office from holding any interest in a business with foreign income. Judge Daniels lets him proceed largely unchallenged as he states that CREW and the hospitality plaintiffs alleged harms too speculative to be cognizable and that CREW opted to “inflict injury on itself” by bringing this lawsuit and focusing money, research, and resources on this particular endeavor as opposed to other issues.
Judge Daniels stops to ask a question only when Shumate contends that Trump is taking no government action over the hotel and restaurant markets, saying he’s merely participating in them . . . The lawyer and judge spar for a few moments on the question of remedies. Shumate says it’s appalling to imagine a federal court micromanaging and monitoring Trump’s business dealings, while Daniels says he could impose different remedies, or the president could perhaps decide to divest on his own. But when Shumate turns to the actual definition of emoluments favored by the DOJ in this case, the wheels start to come off. The DOJ has urged that—at least according to some dictionaries—an emolument requires a connection between the payment made and the president’s office or employment. Daniels thinks this is a tortured reading of the clause. “Why can’t we just say it’s addressing the compensation the president gets?”
Shumate keeps insisting that it’s only an emolument if the president exchanges the gift for services. Judge Daniels keeps telling him that if a foreign power gives Trump $1 million to sign a treaty, it doesn’t matter if the president signs that treaty. Shumate keeps insisting this is a “gift.” “Well, not from the foreign country’s perspective,” snaps Daniels. People titter. They go round and round this mulberry bush multiple times as Daniels changes the hypo: “If you say you’re going to sell me a car for $10,000,” says Daniels, “and I show up tomorrow and there’s no car, are you saying that’s a gift?”
Shumate says the gift-giver’s subjective intent doesn’t matter. Daniels says there is no difference between an official and unofficial act of the president. “Everything he does is official,” Daniels says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s in exchange for his services, whether he sleeps all day or works all day, his services arise out of the office of the president.” Shumate says none of the framers understood the Emoluments Clause to “apply to private business concerns.”
Cue the hot dogs.
Daniels: “So a foreign government says to the president, ‘Sign this favorable treaty and we will give you $1 million. You own a hot dog stand so we will buy a million dollars in hot dogs.’ ”
Shumate: “That might be a present.”
Daniels: “You are not arguing that $1 million in hot dogs is a present.”
Shumate concedes that he is not.
Deepak Gupta of Gupta Wessler argues on behalf of CREW, and he has a tough time getting past the standing arguments. Daniels isn’t really buying that at least one of the CREW plaintiffs has standing, and he doesn’t seem at all persuaded that CREW itself does. He tells Gupta that the Emoluments Clause “is not an anti-competitive provision. It’s an anti-corruption provision.” He repeats several times that there is a vast universe of people who want to stay at Trump properties because they believe Trump is awesome, and that those people don’t suffer an Emoluments Clause injury. Gupta says the Emoluments Clause doesn’t confer a right, but it does mean courts can step in and remedy violations. But when Daniels begins putting air quotes around phrases like “diverting resources,” it’s clear he doesn’t think CREW has standing to claim harm.
“They’re not diverting resources if they just want to play policeman,” Daniels insists. “I don’t know if CREW had even thought of the Emoluments Clause before this. Most people had not.” Tittering.
Daniels is perhaps most animated when he starts telling Gupta that this is a political problem, to be sorted out between the president and Congress. “Why,” he asks, “is this a legal question for the courts? It’s an issue between two branches of government. … The president has the ability to do this. I’m not sure there’s anything in the Constitution that says Congress couldn’t consent even if they thought it was a bribe. … Why should the president fight this out in a street brawl with individuals?”
Gupta replies that the fact that Congress could make exceptions to the emoluments ban doesn’t mean it’s not also justiciable. He spends what’s left of his time agreeing with Judge Daniels that $1 million in hot dogs is an emolument.
Shumate ends his rebuttal where he began: that if Trump can’t take money from foreigners at his hotels, President Obama can’t take foreign book royalties and retired military men can’t hold stock in hotels. In a strange echo of what the Supreme Court said in the Bob McDonnell case, it seems it can’t be bad to profit off high office if everyone does it all the time.
The subtext to today’s hearing is that if Daniels allows this case to go forward to trial, CREW would be entitled to discovery, granting the group access to the kinds of evidence of corruption and self-dealing that everyone has only guessed at until now. The stranger subtext is that, based on the DOJ’s cramped reading of emoluments, it’s hard to imagine any government official could ever be in violation of anything. As we walk out of the building wondering aloud whether the same president who profits daily off his hotels and clubs and trademarks might take $1 million in hot dog–based bribes, it’s hard to believe he couldn’t get away with that and a whole lot more.
The New York Times editorialized, The Self-Dealing Presidency of Donald Trump:
If Donald Trump thinks there’s nothing wrong with exploiting the presidency for his personal profit, he should read the Constitution.
That’s the argument plaintiffs made in a Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, in the first-ever lawsuit to accuse a president of violating the emoluments clauses — once-obscure constitutional provisions that the nation’s founders adopted to prevent corruption of public officials.
One clause prohibits officials from accepting “any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever” from foreign governments unless Congress approves; another bars presidents from getting payments from federal or state governments other than their salaries.
The emoluments clauses are based on a simple, sound idea — that the nation’s security and well-being are threatened when those entrusted with acting in the public interest use their office for private gain. Until Jan. 20, there was no need to invoke them. Presidents have been generally transparent about their financial holdings, placing assets in blind trusts and releasing their tax returns.
Mr. Trump — whose global empire of hotels, real estate, golf courses and other businesses is awash in foreign money — has refused to take those steps. Instead, he has performed in a sort of ethics theater, stepping away from the day-to-day management of the Trump Organization even as he retains his ownership in it. Since the Republican-led Congress appears to have no interest in holding Mr. Trump to account, the federal courts may be the only option.
* * *
[Trump’s] participation in the market is part of the problem: Americans shouldn’t have to worry that their leader’s primary allegiance is to his own financial fortunes.
Mr. Trump gives little reason to feel reassured. In 2015, he said of Saudi Arabia: “I get along great with all of them. They buy apartments from me.” He added: “They spend $40 million, $50 million. Am I supposed to dislike them?” (On his first overseas trip after taking office, to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Trump lavished praise on the kingdom’s rulers, dismissing concerns about their repressive policies.)
Meanwhile, foreign officials are racing to curry favor with our businessman in chief. Shortly after Mr. Trump was elected, one diplomat told The Washington Post, “Why wouldn’t I stay at his hotel, blocks from the White House, so I can tell the new president, ‘I love your new hotel!’ ”
The case being heard Wednesday was filed days after Mr. Trump took office by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, a bipartisan watchdog group. CREW’s complaint highlights the conflicts between Mr. Trump’s duties as president and his “vast, complicated and secret” web of business interests. These include Trump Tower in New York, where foreign-government-held entities like the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China hold leases that will come up for renewal during Mr. Trump’s term, and the Trump International Hotel in Washington, where foreign diplomats pay top dollar to sleep, eat and do business with the United States. (Elected federal officials, including the president, are prohibited from holding the lease to the hotel, but that’s another story.)
Since the emoluments suit was filed, plaintiffs who complained of unfair competition in the hospitality industry have joined in. Meanwhile, two separate federal suits have also charged Mr. Trump with violating the emoluments clauses — one by nearly 200 Democratic members of Congress and the other by the attorneys general of Maryland and the District of Columbia.
A central question for the courts is the meaning of “emoluments.” Does the term cover only those benefits given in exchange for an official’s “personal services,” as the White House contends? Or does it apply to “anything of value” an official receives, as the plaintiffs argue? At Wednesday’s hearing, Judge George Daniels of Federal District Court appeared sympathetic to a broader reading, but was skeptical that the plaintiffs have standing to bring the lawsuit, because they had not shown concrete ways that Mr. Trump’s actions had directly harmed them.
Even if the [CREW] case is thrown out on those grounds, Mr. Trump is still a walking emoluments-clause violation. And he still refuses to release his tax returns and other financial records, preventing the public from seeing the full extent of his business entanglements, debts and interests.
In this light it’s hard to see how the American people can ever be confident that Mr. Trump, who has spent a lifetime as a money-obsessed deal maker, is acting in the nation’s best interest, and not his own.
I don’t believe that there is any serious question that Donald Trump acts out of his own selfish interests. Who are we kidding?
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Looks like Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may get snagged by the emollients clause for gifts to her foundation in exchange for uranium to Russia. How ironic. Watch how quickly Dems lose interest in Russian collusion coverage, which is going nowhere with Trump.
emoluments
I hope she gets a cell right next to the Trump family, the Kushner family, Manafort and Flynn and the rest.
I am not kidding, I can’t stand Hillary Wall Street Kissinger.
I know it’s hard for fake conservatives to understand, but when Blagojevich or Weiner goes to jail, progressives cheer. We do not say it’s all fake news when a corrupt politician goes to jail.
We don’t take sides when it comes to crimes by elected officials. We say good riddance. We don’t give them money to run for office like Boehner did for Vitter.
And you are in the right wing echo chamber, the stink of Russia is all over Trump’s White House and campaign. Along with obstruction of justice and lots of past crimes including money laundering. Russian money, in NY and Florida.
Don’t forget, you’re defending the guy who ran Trump University. Let’s see how you do when Mueller’s done.
“We don’t take sides when it comes to crimes by elected officials. We say good riddance.”
You don’t take sides when it comes to crimes by elected officials, Tom. Most of your fellow liberals are not that honest and they definitely do take sides.
“Let’s see how you do when Mueller’s done.”
I agree…let’s wait and see what happens with Mueller’s investigation. I am interested in seeing what you do when he invesigation does not go th way you hope it will.
I do not think that the emoluments clause was intended to stop any foreign official or government from booking a room in a Trump hotel. That’s stretching gift pretty far.
It’s like you’re proud of your ignorance.
And BTW, I’ve been saying for months that there are going to be some Dems going down with the Trump/Kushner crime families, and I will be cheering watching the perp walks for all of them.
Now, how about you go fix that 100 million dollar mess you made.
Some of us warned people almost a year ago that the second the pussy-grabbing con man took his hand off the bible he’d be guilty of crimes.
This should surprise no one. The guy has mob connections, he ran a scam university, he’s told at least one lie every day since he’s been in office.
And the GOP does nothing because the GOP is a scam.
“We don’t have a lot of doctrine in this area because it’s never been litigated, chiefly because most presidents haven’t wanted to look like they were cashing in on the office…”
No, this is an issue today because we don’t have many Presidents who were successful businessmen, worth billions, before becoming President. Most Presidents are politicians who barely have any idea how business works, much less having taken the time to actually BE a businessman.
“Because he failed to fully divest from his businesses and because foreigners are dropping a whole lot of cash at Trump properties, the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW…filed a lawsuit…”
You mean that democrats did what they always do: They went to the courts in anticipation of finding a liberal judge to misuse his power of the bench to hurt Trump. It’s just business as usual…
“Presidents have been generally transparent about their financial holdings, placing assets in blind trusts and releasing their tax returns.”
“been generally transparent” means that not all Presidents have done this. And the release of tax records is a rather recent phenomenon. What this is about is: (1) hurting Trump as much as possible, and (2) hoping to find something that might be able to hurt Trump in some way. It is more a fishing expedition than a search for justice.
“Meanwhile, two separate federal suits have also charged Mr. Trump with violating the emoluments clauses — one by nearly 200 Democratic members of Congress and the other by the attorneys general of Maryland and the District of Columbia.”
Nothing political about that, huh? The democrats can’t get over the fact they lost the election…
“And he still refuses to release his tax returns and other financial records, preventing the public from seeing the full extent of his business entanglements, debts and interests.”
Nor is he required to do so. There is also a certain voyeuristic part of this travesty to allow people a peek at a successful person’s life. Americans have always enjoyed taking peeks behind closed doors. The fact this is a political witch hunt cannot overshadow the need to see just how much money someone else makes.
Already this morning. Despicable Don attacks a military widow, essentially calling her a liar. And he resumes attacking the NFL.
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump 2h2 hours ago
I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation!
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump 2h2 hours ago
Two dozen NFL players continue to kneel during the National Anthem, showing total disrespect to our Flag & Country. No leadership in NFL!
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump 3h3 hours ago
There will be NO change to your 401(k). This has always been a great and popular middle class tax break that works, and it stays!
Trump today…
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump 9h9 hours ago
It is finally sinking through. 46% OF PEOPLE BELIEVE MAJOR NATIONAL NEWS ORGS FABRICATE STORIES ABOUT ME. FAKE NEWS, even worse! Lost cred.
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump 9h9 hours ago
Wacky Congresswoman Wilson is the gift that keeps on giving for the Republican Party, a disaster for Dems. You watch her in action & vote R!
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump 21h21 hours ago
I agree getting Tax Cuts approved is important (we will also get HealthCare), but perhaps no Administration has done more in its first…..
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump 21h21 hours ago
…9 months than this Administration. Over 50 Legislation approvals, massive regulation cuts, energy freedom, pipelines, border security….
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump 21h21 hours ago
…2nd Amendment, Strong Military, ISIS, historic VA improvement, Supreme Court Justice, Record Stock Market, lowest unemployment in 17 yrs!
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump 22h22 hours ago
Just out, but lightly reported: “Fewest jobless claims since 1973 show firm U.S. Job Market” Lowest since March 1973. @bpolitics
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump 24h24 hours ago
Crooked Hillary Clinton spent hundreds of millions of dollars more on Presidential Election than I did. Facebook was on her side, not mine!
And yesterday…
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump Oct 21
Keep hearing about “tiny” amount of money spent on Facebook ads. What about the billions of dollars of Fake News on CNN, ABC, NBC & CBS?
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump Oct 21
Officials behind the now discredited “Dossier” plead the Fifth. Justice Department and/or FBI should immediately release who paid for it.
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump Oct 21
Stock Market hits another all time high on Friday. 5.3 trillion dollars up since Election. Fake News doesn’t spent much time on this!
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump Oct 21
I hope the Fake News Media keeps talking about Wacky Congresswoman Wilson in that she, as a representative, is killing the Democrat Party!
Donald J. TrumpVerified account @realDonaldTrump Oct 21
Budget that just passed is a really big deal, especially in terms of what will be the biggest tax cut in U.S. history – MSM barely covered!
Interesting that the Narcissist-in-chief has revived “Crooked Hillary” (for some unknown reason) and gave the NFL a rest, possibly because he’s been busy attacking Rep Wilson instead of apologizing to the Johnson family.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
…
Does he tend put himself first and think he knows the only “right” way? Someone with narcissistic personality disorder might also:
-Think about himself most of the time and talk about himself a lot
-Crave attention and admiration
-Exaggerate his talents and achievements
-Believe he’s special
-Set unrealistic goals
-Have wide, fast mood swings
-Have a hard time taking others’ feelings seriously
-Strive to win, whatever it takes
-Fantasize about unlimited success, money, and power
Someone like this may appear to have high self-esteem, but the opposite is probably true. There’s a deep sense of insecurity underneath that grand exterior. He wants others to be envious, but often he’s the jealous one. He’s competitive and threatened by others’ achievements. His relationships are often stormy and short-lived. He leaves a trail of hurt feelings in his wake.
He’s easily hurt, but either chooses to not show it or overreacts in rage. He can’t stand criticism. He makes excuses and refuses to take responsibility for his flaws and failures. He sees himself as a natural leader who can easily sway others. He doesn’t listen and often interrupts. It’s a one-way street — all take, no give.
…
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/narcissistic-personality-disorder#1
And let us not forget, he is also the President of the United States, and all the grousing and whining in the world about him can’t change that simple fact!
Go away.
No. Put on your big girl pants and accept that, as long as you post messages worthy of comment, I will comment on them.
Yeah, I see that but all you’re doing is proving that you’re a creepy stalker.
“…all you’re doing is proving that you’re a creepy stalker.”
Get over yourself, Liza. As I have told you before, if you post the vast bulk of comments on any subject, you are likely to see responses to your prolific posting. It is simple math.
That’s our tragedy. Eventually even the the Republicans will realize the incompetence he displays everyday will leave the country in ruins.
I don’t know, Frances. His approval ratings are still in the mid-30’s, seeming to indicate the die hard Republicans haven’t got a problem with him. I suspect that even when the low-life right wingers are eating out of dumpsters they will still support him. There’s no cure for stupid, there really isn’t.
UPDATED OCT. 23, 2017 AT 1:16 PM
How unpopular is Donald Trump?
An updating calculation of the president’s approval rating, accounting for each poll’s quality, recency, sample size and partisan lean.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/