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Trump's businesses: a massive conflict of interest?

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beneficii
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20 Nov 2016, 11:13 pm

This article goes into the various businesses Trump owns abroad, and expresses concern about his reluctance to release much details about his investments and that his owning properties abroad, or even his family members owning them, could open Trump up to undue influence by foreign nations.

Bush's former ethics lawyer I think expresses this concern pretty well:

Quote:
“There are so many diplomatic, political, even national security risks in having the president own a whole bunch of properties all over the world,” said Richard Painter, chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush.

“If we’ve got to talk to a foreign government about their behavior, or negotiate a treaty, or some country asks us to send our troops in to defend someone else, we’ve got to make a decision. And the question becomes: Are we going in out of our national interest or because there’s a Trump casino around?” Painter added.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/business ... l#comments

This also applies if he transfers ownership to family members.


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Jacoby
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20 Nov 2016, 11:26 pm

If Trump was simply driven by his business interests then he would of never ran for president



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20 Nov 2016, 11:39 pm

Jacoby wrote:
If Trump was simply driven by his business interests then he would of never ran for president


This doesn't address the concern beyond, "Trust this man who could easily resolve his conflicts of interest but won't."


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20 Nov 2016, 11:43 pm

Another concern is that one of his businesses, whether owned by him or a relative, could receive a favorable deal from a foreign government, which would be tantamount to violating Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits U.S. officials from receiving gifts from foreign officials without Congress's approval (emphasis added):

Quote:
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.


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21 Nov 2016, 12:05 am

It's uncharted waters as there has never been a president that has had close to the assets that Trump has not to mention the fact that a lot of what the Trump Organization does is branding which is impossible to divorce Trump the president from. Short of liquefying the company there isn't any way to avoid to the appearance of a conflict of interest and that is not going to happen obviously, appearances are deceiving so one will just have to be vigilant. I think the worries about it effecting his foreign policy decisions don't pass the smell test, Trump could be a lot richer today had he not made this unlikely run for the presidency as he has taken a hit in the short term.

I wonder where everybody was with these worries about conflicts of interest were when Hillary Clinton was running a pay for play scheme with the State Department?



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21 Nov 2016, 12:23 am

Jacoby wrote:
It's uncharted waters as there has never been a president that has had close to the assets that Trump has not to mention the fact that a lot of what the Trump Organization does is branding which is impossible to divorce Trump the president from. Short of liquefying the company there isn't any way to avoid to the appearance of a conflict of interest and that is not going to happen obviously, appearances are deceiving so one will just have to be vigilant. I think the worries about it effecting his foreign policy decisions don't pass the smell test, Trump could be a lot richer today had he not made this unlikely run for the presidency as he has taken a hit in the short term.

I wonder where everybody was with these worries about conflicts of interest were when Hillary Clinton was running a pay for play scheme with the State Department?


Had you read the article, you would see there are ways for him to do it. One big way, which is what Bush and Reagan did, is to consign his businesses to a "blind trust" which would have complete control over his businesses.


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21 Nov 2016, 12:53 am

Apparently these conflict of interest laws do not even apply to the president so Trump is under no legal obligation to put his assets into a blind trust or anything else for that matter. I think the nature of Trump's businesses kind of defeat the point of having a blind trust, it's not as if he wouldn't know he owns the tower with his name emblazoned in gold on it and again much of what his company does is branding which is impossible to be divorced from.



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21 Nov 2016, 1:22 am

Jacoby wrote:
Apparently these conflict of interest laws do not even apply to the president so Trump is under no legal obligation to put his assets into a blind trust or anything else for that matter. I think the nature of Trump's businesses kind of defeat the point of having a blind trust, it's not as if he wouldn't know he owns the tower with his name emblazoned in gold on it and again much of what his company does is branding which is impossible to be divorced from.


He would still be subject under U.S. Const., Article I, Section 9, Clause 8. A copy of that clause is posted further up to the thread. Any favorable deal from any foreign government on any of his businesses would qualify as a present or emolument under that clause. If he did not get consent from Congress for it, then he would be in violation.


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21 Nov 2016, 2:02 pm

Trump will find some way to get around it. He will throw money at it and it will go away. :roll:

He's a crook, conman, sexist and racist that has no place in politics!