During a cabinet meeting today, Donald Trump had some choice words for our founding document. Speaking on various topics, including the possibility of holding the G7 meeting of world leaders at his Doral Golf Resort in Miami, Trump was quoted as follows:
Real Trump quotes just now on G7, via pool:
“I own a property in Florida.”
“I don’t need promotion. I don’t need promotion.”
“It would have been the best G-7 ever.”
“You people with this phony Emoluments Clause.” (!)
“If you’re rich, it doesn’t matter.”— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) October 21, 2019
Watch:
Trump just claimed his G-7/Doral pick was OK because Obama got a Netflix & book deal. He claimed these were negotiated while in office.
There's no proof, and CNN fact-checked in real time.
He then went on to claim the Emoluments clause is "phony." CNN put it on the screen. pic.twitter.com/lq8ifvlqRy
— jordan (@JordanUhl) October 21, 2019
One of the principle reasons I believe Trump is a danger as president is his disregard for our institutions and principles. He has ignored the emoluments clause during his entire term and he has ignored Congressional subpoenas and all efforts to provide oversight. His threat to the checks and balances of Constitutional government far outweighs any policies he might support of benefit to conservatives.
For the record, here is what the Constitution says about emoluments and the president:
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. ARTICLE I, SECTION 9
The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encreased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them. ARTICLE 2, SECTION 1
If the president accepts money from foreign governments without Congressional approval, he would violate that clause. There are also numerous other conflict of interest statutes governing federal employees which are in play.