6/11/2017

CONFLICT OF INTEREST/ETHICS/TRUMP BUSINESS: “Government lawyers said Friday [6-9-17] that the U.S. Constitution permits President Donald Trump’s hotels and other businesses to accept payments from foreign governments, in response to a lawsuit alleging such payments violate the Constitution.
Instead of divesting after he was elected president, Mr. Trump put his business assets into a trust and let his two adult sons run the Trump Organization.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group that tracks corporate influence in politics and public policy, seized on Mr. Trump’s refusal to divest in a January lawsuit filed in federal district court in Manhattan, one of several cases targeting Mr. Trump’s business ties and conduct during his presidential campaign.
Business competitors to Mr. Trump’s hotels have since joined the CREW lawsuit, which says Mr. Trump is barred under the U.S. Constitution’s emoluments clauses from receiving compensation from domestic and foreign governments.”

-Joe Palazzolo and Brent Kendall, “Justice Department Argues Trump’s Businesses Can Accept Foreign Payments,” The Wall Street Journal online, June 11, 2017 07:26pm