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Home Democrats know that Republicans are already squirming over Trump’s willingness to simply accept a $400 million bribe from Qatar, so that they have launched a decision demanding that Trump get the approval of Congress earlier than accepting the aircraft.
The decision states partly:
Whereas acceptance of the Qatari plane with out the permission of Congress would clearly violate the International Emoluments Clause, whereas additionally posing vital nationwide safety risks, together with, not solely by way of the corruption and illegitimate affect that the framers anticipated, but in addition by way of substantial extra dangers of espionage towards and surveillance of the President and different senior United States Authorities officers;
and Whereas President Trump remarked that this unprecedented and lavish present from a international state would lead to ‘‘huge financial savings [that] might be spent, as an alternative, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’’, however, in reality, it will not substitute the present contract for retrofitting and modernizing Air Pressure One, and would as an alternative require a whole lot of thousands and thousands or billions of {dollars} in new Federal Authorities and taxpayer funding to retrofit and debug this present from an autocratic international state:
Now, due to this fact, be it Resolved,
That it’s the sense of the Home of Representatives that President Trump should adjust to the International Emoluments Clause by submitting all plans for this present imme diately to Congress; and if he needs to simply accept the ‘‘flying palace’’ from the royal household of Qatar as he says publicly he want to do, acquiring the consent of Congress earlier than doing so.
Rep. Raskin stated in a press release:
The Structure’s International Emoluments Clause is evident: Donald Trump can’t settle for presents ‘of any sort no matter’ from international states or kings with out Congressional consent—and that features Trump’s Con Air One, a flying bribe from the Qatari royals.
At the moment, Home Judiciary Democrats are submitting a decision instructing Trump both to show down this Qatari ‘flying palace’ or to return to Congress instantly and search our consent to simply accept it. It’s what the Structure requires and what earlier Presidents have at all times completed, from Abraham Lincoln to John F. Kennedy. The Structure costs Congress with guaranteeing the President doesn’t use the best workplace within the land as a get-rich-quick scheme to pocket lavish presents from international Presidents, Dictators, and Emirs. It’s excessive time that Congress do its job.
If Trump will get to simply accept this aircraft, it will likely be as a result of Republicans in Congress selected to show a blind eye to essentially the most corrupt public act ever dedicated by a president.
Democrats are going to affix Republicans on the hip to Trump’s corruption. The very best consequence right here might be for Democrats to drive a vote on the decision and watch Republicans squirm as they must defend their president taking a bribe.
What do you consider Rep. Raskin’s decision? Share your ideas within the feedback under.
