Democrats Want Trump Organization Records About Foreign Aid
Democrats Want Records of Trump Organization Seeking Foreign Aid
(Bloomberg) -- Congressional Democrats are seeking information from the Trump Organization about its requests for emergency pandemic relief from foreign governments.
The House Oversight Committee is requesting documents and communications from President Donald Trump’s company pertaining to “any loans or other funds from any domestic or foreign government entity, including the British government, referring or relating to the coronavirus crisis,” according to a letter dated Thursday and reviewed by Bloomberg News.
The request follows a Bloomberg report that the company was seeking U.K. and Irish bailout money to help cover wages for employees furloughed from its European golf properties because of the coronavirus lockdown.
“The job retention plan created by the U.K. government has nothing to do with the Trump Organization and does not benefit our company in any way,” Eric Trump, who is running the company while his father is in the White House, said in an emailed statement.
“It is solely about protecting employees and their families who would otherwise be out of work,” Eric Trump said. “We are anxiously awaiting the day that we receive approval from the government to reopen our doors and look forward to getting back to business.”
Representative Carolyn Maloney, the committee chairwoman, and Representative Jamie Raskin addressed the letter to Eric Trump. The letter cites the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which bars the president from receiving gifts from governments.
“Apart from the grave Emoluments Clause problems your actions cause in the United States, officials in the United Kingdom have raised serious concerns about using their own taxpayer funds to bail out President Trump’s companies,” the letter says.
The Emoluments Clause was rarely invoked prior to Trump’s ascent to office. A U.S. appeals court this year threw out a legal challenge by House Democrats relating to the Trump International Hotel in Washington, citing a lack of standing. Other litigation is pending.
It isn’t clear whether the clause would apply to the pursuit of aid for workers from programs made available broadly by a government.
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