The Self-Dealing Presidency of Donald Trump

New York Times ^ | October 19, 2017 | Times Editorial Board

[Oldeconomybuyer]

If Donald Trump thinks there’s nothing wrong with exploiting the presidency for his personal profit, he should read the Constitution.

That’s the argument plaintiffs made in a Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, in the first-ever lawsuit to accuse a president of violating the emoluments clauses — once-obscure constitutional provisions that the nation’s founders adopted to prevent corruption of public officials.

The emoluments clauses are based on a simple, sound idea — that the nation’s security and well-being are threatened when those entrusted with acting in the public interest use their office for private gain. Until Jan. 20, there was no need to invoke them.

Even if the case is thrown out on those grounds, Mr. Trump is still a walking emoluments-clause violation. And he still refuses to release his tax returns and other financial records, preventing the public from seeing the full extent of his business entanglements, debts and interests.

In this light it’s hard to see how the American people can ever be confident that Mr. Trump, who has spent a lifetime as a money-obsessed deal maker, is acting in the nation’s best interest, and not his own.

[jospehm20]

But giving Russia 20% of our uranium in exchange for $145 million to the Clintoons foundation is peachy keen?

[DoughtyOne]

So the Left does believe in the U. S. Constitution after all?

Then we can expect Obama’s real birth certificate and full gamete of personal papers to be made available forthwith?

[goldstategop]

A clear-cut violation of the emoluments clause.

What we have is here a case of partisan sour grapes and special pleading.

Invoked against Trump and only against Trump.

[txnativegop]

you forgot kindling for fires, it is real good for that.

[GOPJ]

Bill Clinton and his greedy wife were the people who milked government jobs for fun and profit. And the New York Times? They look away..., from the graft from the rape, from the bulling of young women. They knew about John Edwards - and covered for him too...

Scum.

President Trump doesn’t even accept a salary - donates it to charity. I suspect the staff at the New York Times would be more comfortable with Harvey Weinstein and his BS version of ‘liberal values’ than they would ever be with the man WE THE PEOPLE elected to be our President.

Eff the New York Times lemmings...

[blueplum]

it’s hard to see how the American people can ever be confident that Mr. Trump, who has spent a lifetime as a money-obsessed deal maker, is acting in the nation’s best interest

Well it's also hard to see how politicians who have spent a lifetime mysteriously accumulating millions of dollars and putting their relatives in cushy positions, are acting in the nation's best interest. Or that reporters who expose their personal bias in reporting are acting in the nation's best interest. But the thing about Trump is, he's not 30, he's in his seventies, and he has all the money he needs.