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Home Democrats know that Republicans are already squirming over Trump’s willingness to just accept a $400 million bribe from Qatar, in order that they have launched a decision demanding that Trump get the approval of Congress earlier than accepting the airplane.
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 important nationwide safety risks, together with, not solely when it comes to the corruption and illegitimate affect that the framers anticipated, but additionally when it comes to 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 indulgent present from a overseas state would end in ‘‘huge financial savings [that] might be spent, as a substitute, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’’, however, in actual fact, it could not substitute the prevailing contract for retrofitting and modernizing Air Pressure One, and would as a substitute require a whole bunch of tens of millions or billions of {dollars} in new Federal Authorities and taxpayer funding to retrofit and debug this present from an autocratic overseas state:
Now, subsequently, 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 just accept the ‘‘flying palace’’ from the royal household of Qatar as he says publicly he wish 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 not settle for presents ‘of any type no matter’ from overseas states or kings with out Congressional consent—and that features Trump’s Con Air One, a flying bribe from the Qatari royals.
Right this moment, Home Judiciary Democrats are submitting a decision instructing Trump both to show down this Qatari ‘flying palace’ or to come back to Congress instantly and search our consent to just accept it. It’s what the Structure requires and what earlier Presidents have at all times performed, from Abraham Lincoln to John F. Kennedy. The Structure prices Congress with guaranteeing the President doesn’t use the very best workplace within the land as a get-rich-quick scheme to pocket lavish presents from overseas Presidents, Dictators, and Emirs. It’s excessive time that Congress do its job.
If Trump will get to just accept this airplane, it is going to be as a result of Republicans in Congress selected to show a blind eye to probably 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 end result right here might be for Democrats to pressure 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.
