State Dept. allowed foreign govts to lease luxury condos at Trump World Tower without Congress OK

NBC "News" ^ | May 2, 2019 | by Reuters

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The U.S. State Department allowed at least seven foreign governments to rent luxury condominiums in New York's Trump World Tower in 2017 without approval from Congress, according to documents and people familiar with the leases, a potential violation of the U.S. Constitution's emoluments clause.

The 90-story Manhattan building, part of the real estate empire of Donald Trump, had housed diplomats and foreign officials before the property developer became president. But now that he is in the White House, such transactions must pass muster with federal lawmakers, some legal experts say. The emoluments clause bans U.S. officials from accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments without congressional consent.

The rental transactions, dating from the early months of Trump's presidency and first revealed by Reuters, could add to mounting scrutiny of his business dealings with foreign governments, which are now the subject of multiple lawsuits.

Congressional staffers confirmed to Reuters that the Trump World Tower lease requests were never submitted to Congress. Elijah Cummings, chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, said his committee has been "stonewalled" in its efforts to obtain detailed information about foreign government payments to Trump's businesses.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[rawcatslyentist]

Sounds like a problem for the State Dept, not the Preezee!

Swing and a miss strike three deep state!

[Vaduz]

No word from NBC about Babs owning a 20 year spy they act like he didn’t find out anything.

[Mark17]

Is this the next “collusion” they will try to push?

[Linda Frances]

Lots of liberals in the state department. Maybe they did it on purpose. Now we can fire them.

[miss marmelstein]

Washington is confused that someone elected to office in DC had a job in the private sector before becoming an office holder.

[Liz]

The US State Dept okay'ed foreign govts rental of luxury condos in Trump Tower in 2017 without Congress' approval....

Obama and Hillary's State Dept holdovers doing their usual job.

[Zathras]

When does Trump get impeached for not keeping the bathrooms clean in his hotel?
Only someone who has never worked for a living would consider this anything but nonsense.

[Steve_Seattle]

"The 90-story Manhattan building, part of the real estate empire of Donald Trump, had housed diplomats and foreign officials before the property developer became president. But now that he is in the White House, such transactions must pass muster with federal lawmakers, some legal experts say. The emoluments clause bans U.S. officials from accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments without congressional consent."

"Some legal experts say." LOL, Democrats, no doubt. In other words, foreign governments have been renting space there all along, it is normal, everyday business, and there is no reason to think that there was any quid-pro-quo involved. This is NOT the sort of thing prohibited by the emoluments clause. The rental payments are not "gifts" or "bribes" or honorifics, they are normal business transactions.

[Trump Girl Kit Cat]

OMG I hope none of the renters are RUSSIAN /s

[glorgau]

Another “some say” article

[pgkdan]

Is this the next “collusion” they will try to push?

No...just their continuing to push the Emoluments Clause BS. Donald Trump gave up his billionaire lifestyle and serves without pay as President because he was having a hard time filling hotel rooms and selling condos. Makes perfect sense...doesn't it?

[falcon99]

This is just another nothing-burger from the Nothng But Crap(NBC) organization.

[Bratch]

But now that he is in the White House, such transactions must pass muster with federal lawmakers,
some legal experts say.

[Bayan]

Once again the Democrats are waving an empty bag.

[Mark17]

Makes perfect sense...doesn't it?

Never underestimate a POS Democrat’s ability, to dream up the most stupid BS in the world.

[vette6387]

“OMG I hope none of the renters are RUSSIAN /s”

No, but there have been reportedly numerous deliveries of large quantities of Russian Dressing to some of the tenants there. So maybe there’s “guilt by association” involved!

[Steve_Seattle]

"Donald Trump gave up his billionaire lifestyle and serves without pay as President because he was having a hard time filling hotel rooms and selling condos. Makes perfect sense...doesn't it?"

Bravo. That perfectly sums up the absurdity of these "emoluments" claims.

[eyeamok]

Shouldn’t the FCC be Stripping the Broadcast License for NBC and all their Affiliates for how they slandered the Covington School kids??