Watchdog Groups U.S. Attorney to Investigate Trump’s Foreign Business Deals
A letter was sent to U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, asking him to investigate whether Trump has received payments or other benefits from foreign governments through his business interests.
If Trump has, he would be violating the Emoluments Clause.
Reported by the Washington Post, the letter was sent by a trio of watchdog groups six weeks after one of the groups filed a lawsuit in federal district court making a similar claim.
Trump has claimed that he addressed ethics concerns by turning over management of his business to his adult sons – who have also promised that they are keeping the family business away from their father.
“There are lines we would never cross,” Eric Trump told The Washington Post, “and that’s mixing business with anything government.”
Critics are challenging this, writing to Bharara, “We call on you as the United States Attorney for the jurisdiction where The Trump Organization is located to exercise your responsibility to investigate and take appropriate action to ensure that the Trump Organization and related Trump business enterprises do not receive payments and financial benefits from foreign governments that benefit President Trump.”
The letter is signed by Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, bipartisan leaders of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington organization (CREW) and Paul Smith of the Campaign Legal Center.
