[Donald] Trump must divest because of his web of domestic and international business relationships that create a conflict of interest for him.
Instead of investigating the fact that the president-elect [Donald trump] is going to be violating "The Constitution" with these flows of foreign fighters, they admit they have a problem. They say, oh, well, we won't - his lawyers said well, we want take the profits in the hotels.
"The Constitution" has something called The Emoluments Clause. That's just a fancy, 18th century word for no foreign government payments. And Donald Trump is collecting foreign government payments and other benefits throughout his business.It is a direct violation of "The Constitution" and unless he divests, not just operations, he must divest from all business interests or he will be in violation of "The Constitution" from day one.
People are studying whether there's a cause of action that competitors, for example, would have if they're harmed by these foreign government payments.
With the new Russia allegations coming to the fore once again, the conclusion of the intelligence agencies, we've got to have those [Donald Trump's] taxes to evaluate whether these conflicts go to the heart of our most pressing national security interests.
There's a Russia angle to all this, because remember, we don't have Donald Trump's tax returns. He did a very - relative summary, 104 page campaign financial disclosure. One year of tax returns, reportedly - we've seen the pictures, 12,000 pages. And tax returns are replete with his foreign interests, including, perhaps, his Russian interests. That may be the reason he doesn't want to turn over his taxes.
The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes.
[Donald Trump] faces a lot of problems.Why go there?
[Donald Trump] is going to be tainted by scandal. Congress hangs by just three Republican votes. If he loses three Republicans, you're going to see investigations, subpoenas.
There's going to be a lot of remedies. [Donald Trump] is also subject to other conflicts laws.The bribery laws are intended to prevent conflicts, for example. He's subject to criminal law. He's subject to civil law. He's going to be subject to litigation. He's already in a lot of cases. This is going to come up in existing litigation and there's going to be new litigation.
[Donald Trump] has moved to admit that there is a conflict of interest now and he needs to do something.
What about the golf courses?What about the huge foreign bank loans?What about the condos and the apartments that they sell, the promoting and the trademarks?[ Jason] Chaffetz should be investigating the president-elect's impeding violation of the constitution, not this poor government official who is just trying to do his job. And Mr. Chaffetz has endorsed that unconstitutional plan.
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Tom Vilsack United States Secretary of Agriculture
