Page 3 - Monuments Clause News Today

Monuments clause and senator sanders comments reflect this too. and the issue of the conflict of interest laws of the u.s. there is a very specific conflict of interest law. and it very specifically excludes the president and vice president from its coverage. so i think as we go through this discussion we need to keep in mind which it is that were talking about. again, if you want to talk about alternative facts, noah book binders comment that trump could have disposed of his assets are not true...

It from the government, and restored it. i think maybe its time to move away from the notion that any time donald trump goes to any property of his that he is just engaging in branding. he is about to be president, -- >> but you have to concede that after tomorrow, once he takes the oath of office at noon tomorrow, january 20th, his ownership of that particular hotel becomes a massive potential legal problem for him because of the monuments clause. natural because that, but because of the fact t...

Hold the advisers and jared kushner and ivanka trump accountable. who would hold the president accountable? >> it depends on the type of conflict, if he holds on to these businesses, were going to have the mix that people are mixing trump business with the united states government business. and conversations that look like a quid pro quo. there could be an investigation by the department of justice under the gratuity statutes. with respect to the monuments clause, which simply prohibits foreign ...

Monument clause applies? >> well, the monument clause applies, but the discussion is to what extent does it apply and in a concrete situation? >> in the case that the president of the united states violated or may be violated the monuments clause will you appoint a special counsel? >> we would have to examine that. i would not commit to this day at this time of appointing special counsel when im not aware above precise factual situation in play. >> if there is a violation by the presidents famil...

And you have a new paper too. norm, you said the president-elect is basically cordingisaster here. with his businesses, 18 days away fromecoming president. it is fairly clear he has not going to fully die vest. it is congress obligated to hold his accountable? >> congress, the courts, hallie, your profession, journalism is obligated, and all of us are obligated to do all we can, because the president-elect is on a collision course with corruption. this is not just a matter of what looks or smell...

These things on the very face of it, if you look at the history and the purpose of the monuments clause arguably violate that provision and arguably give rise to an impeachment charge against him. any time a foreign government goes to a trump hotel, thats a benefit, a foreign official goes to the trump hotel, thats a benefit that government is providing to donald trump. any time a prosecutor, any time a regulator does anything in any of the business interests. donald trump has 111 businesses acr...

Bribery. its part of the constitution. its essentially a bribery statute on steroids. it says you cannot take any benefit whatsoever from any foreign government, period, end of conversation. right now the chinese government is paying donald trump very, very handsome lease fees for his building in manhattan. the chinese government through the bank of china is also a big financial backer of donald trumps by providing him tons of credit. these things on the very face of it, if you look at the histo...

The law on multiple occasions. and i think this is another example. hes the first president since president nixon to not release his taxes. and that has to be a question for people when it comes to the monuments clause and presidents profiting off the office. >> yeah, look, i hear your reservations. we have covered many of these stories, all of them, in fact, that youre talking about, but donald trump won. and this is our democratic system. he won fair and square. >> well, lets back up. the elec...

Interests in other countries, its impossible to determine whether the foreign government is giving that business a break, which would be an unconstitutional gift. thats why every president has used blind trust or have sold their assets in order to avoid violating the constitution of the united states and the appearance of a conflict. donald trump is just absolutely wrong on this issue. >> now what youre talking about there in terms of that constitutional prohibition, thats the monuments clause, ...

Of china which is owned by the -- controlled by the government there. any deals with sovereign wealth funds, these diplomats or staying in trump hotels and the issue of who pays for the increased security that youre going to need to have when you stick the president of the united states name on the building. we dont have an obama tower all over the world. that doesnt work. >> you know, what im hearing from you is you think all of the things youve listed are at first brush colorful arguments for ...