By Eric Stock
WASHINGTON – Illinois’ U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin have joined in a lawsuit against President Donald Trump alleging that he has violated the so-called emoluments clause of the Constitution by accepting gifts from foreign interests without Congressional approval.
Duckworth said it should never be a question of whether the president is trying to benefit himself or the American people.
“He could have divested from his businesses, and relinquish ownership,” Duckworth said. “He could have handed the Trump enterprise over to be run by someone outside of his own family, but he didn’t and that should concern every single American.”
The nearly 200 Democratic lawmakers in the suit content the President should release his tax returns so Congress can see the full scope of foreign payments the Trump Organization has received.
“From his singular refusal to disclose his income tax returns to his failure to divest his global web of business holdings to the persistent conflicts of interest which haunt his appointments, President Trump has defied well-established standards of disclosure and propriety,” said Durbin. “The Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prohibits a President from accepting gifts, benefits, or payments from foreign states without first obtaining the consent of Congress, is a clear standard of integrity which cannot be ignored or dismissed with a tweet.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
