Kamlager-Dove, House Judiciary Democrats File Resolution Demanding Trump Comply With Constitutional Rules on Foreign Gifts By Seeking the Consent of Congress Before Accepting[...]

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) joined Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Judiciary Committee Democrats in filing a Resolution condemning President Donald Trump's efforts to accept a $400 million luxury private jet from the royal family of Qatar without obtaining Congress's approval, in violation of the Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause.

"Donald Trump is the grift that keeps on grifting. From unelected billionaires with conflicts of interest conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government to promoting a crypto meme coin from the Oval Office, corruption is taking hold in the highest levels of the Trump Administration. Donald Trump's intention to accept a $400 million blatant bribe from Qatari royalty is yet another example of corruption hiding in plain sight," said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. "I am proud to join Ranking Member Raskin and Judiciary Democrats in exercising our Constitutional authority to accept or reject gifts from foreign nations. We condemn this blatant bribe that would not only jeopardize our national security but the integrity of the presidency and our nation as a whole."

"The Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause is clear: Donald Trump cannot accept gifts 'of any kind whatever' from foreign states or kings without Congressional consent-and that includes Trump's Con Air One, a flying bribe from the Qatari royals," said Ranking Member Raskin. "Today, House Judiciary Democrats are filing a resolution instructing Trump either to turn down this Qatari 'flying palace' or to come to Congress immediately and seek our consent to accept it. It is what the Constitution requires and what previous Presidents have always done, from Abraham Lincoln to John F. Kennedy. The Constitution charges Congress with ensuring the President does not use the highest office in the land as a get-rich-quick scheme to pocket lavish gifts from foreign Presidents, Dictators, and Emirs. It is high time that Congress do its job."

On May 11, an ABC News report revealed that President Trump planned to accept a $400 million private jet from the Qatari royal family-a lavish and unconstitutional gift that would become the property of his personal presidential library foundation at the conclusion of his term.

In a news conference on May 12, when asked about this reported gift, Trump stated, "I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer… I could be a stupid person and say, 'no, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.'"

While Trump claimed that this extravagant gift from a foreign government would result in "big savings [that] will be spent, instead, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT," it in fact would require potentially billions of dollars in taxpayer funds to retrofit and debug the plane.

All House Judiciary Democrats are original cosponsors of the Resolution.

Click here to read the resolution.

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