A frustrated Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) sent a letter to officials within the Trump Organization, pressing for more information about how the President’s businesses operate in compliance with the US Constitution.
Cummings released to the public on Wednesday a 9-page glossy pamphlet provided by the Trump Organization to the House Oversight Committee this month. The document detailed how Trump’s business would avoid violating the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which prohibits Presidents from accepting foreign gifts.
Government ethics watchdogs warned that foreign entities could attempt to curry favor with the President by frequenting his hotels, restaurants, and golf clubs. They advised full divestment.
Instead, to avoid the conflict, President Trump handed off operations of the Trump Organization to his two sons, Eric and Donald Jr., and claimed the company would donate all proceeds from foreign customers to the US Treasury.
The Trump Organization glossy released to the committee, however, doesn’t commit to fulfilling that promise. Instead, it states that identifying all foreign sources of patronage would be “impractical.” It further claims that it is incumbent upon the customer, not the Trump Organization, to identify potential emoluments conflicts.
“It is not the intention nor design of this policy for our Properties to attempt to identify individual travels who have not specifically identified themselves as being a representative of a foreign government entity on foreign government business,” the Trump Organization stated.
Rep. Cummings rejected the company’s line.
“This pamphlet raises grave concerns about the President’s refusal to comply with the Constitution merely because he believes it is ‘impractical,’” Cummings wrote. “Complying with the United States Constitution is not an optional exercise, but a requirement for serving as our nation’s President.”
The congressman further added that if identifying “prohibited foreign emoluments” was too difficult, then “his best options are to divest his ownership or submit a proposal to Congress to ask for our consent.”
Cummings went on to ask for more documents from the Trump Organization, stating that the brochure was a “meager response.” He also requested a meeting with company officials and Oversight Committee staff.
