AMERICA’S constitution is the world’s oldest. At 7,762 words, it is also one of the slimmest. Yet over the course of 228 years, no court has had occasion to weigh in on the meaning of two so-called “emoluments” clauses in America’s founding document. One says presidents may receive only their salary, and no other payment, from the federal government or the states. The other bans federal officials from receiving “any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever” from a foreign state without the approval of Congress.
A lawsuit filed on June 12th by Brian Frosh and Karl Racine, Democratic attorneys-general of Maryland and the District of Columbia, accuses Donald Trump of “flagrantly violating” both anti-corruption rules. Mr Trump announced on January 11th that he would turn “leadership and management” of his global business empire over to his sons, but he continues to be its primary owner, and the handover was anything but blind: with updates at least every quarter, Eric Trump keeps his father well...Continue reading
Source: United States http://ift.tt/2rnzwze
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