a DC wine bar sues Donald Trump for unfair competition

a reply to: allsee4eye

That's matter of opinion. China's recent gifts of trademarks that they've stonewalling for over 10 years is a red flag. His DC Hotel is another.

a reply to: windword

How do you prove they are gifts? The trademarks were applied years ago.

The emoluments clause is not a major clause. Barring something outrageous such as China giving Trump personally 1 billion dollars to allow China build a military base in the South China Sea, a minor violation of the emoluments clause is not enough to impeach, especially considering the clause states it is fine with Congress consent.

a reply to: allsee4eye

How do you prove they are gifts? The trademarks were applied years ago.

And denied, again and again. The timeline proves to the gratuitous gifts. His threats, as his political star rose, prove the motive.

a reply to: windword

It does not prove the approval of the trademarks is a gift. Trump's lawyer can argue it is a coincidence. Besides, approving a trademarks request does not qualify as a gift. American brands sell in China. GM, Ford, Boeing. None of those are gifts.

a reply to: allsee4eye

It does not prove the approval of the trademarks is a gift.

Really? What would?

Trump's lawyer can argue it is a coincidence.

That's what lawyers do. But, a coincidence is a lame excuse, given the timeline.

ETA

Besides, approving a trademarks request does not qualify as a gift. American brands sell in China. GM, Ford, Boeing. None of those are gifts.

None of those entities are President of the Untied States.

originally posted by: windword
None of those entities are President of the Untied States.

The president is the document signer. The president does not make policies and laws. That's what Congress does. The president implements and enforces. Whether the president has a trademark is irrelevant.

Yup. Trump ran a year and an a half campaign, allowed himself and his family to be dragged in the mud, spent millions in his own money and it was all to allow some TM for China. Oh, and to get bookings in his hotels...WTF?

a reply to: allsee4eye

Really? What are all those executive orders then?

a reply to: windword

The White House's executive orders, signed by the president, affects the federal executive departments and agencies. Such orders cannot do anything to benefit the president's business.

No one can force people to use the president's business. Customers have free will to use the products and services of their own choice.

As I explained earlier, Donald Trump has resigned from the Trump organization. He receives no salary. He receives pension.

a reply to: allsee4eye

You said that the President doesn't make policies. I say, look at his executive orders, and then tell me that again.

Donald Trump has resigned from the Trump organization. He receives no salary. He receives pension.

Yet, he still receives a portion of the profits.

a reply to: windword

Pension is what people save up during their work years to be used for their retirement. Pension is not profit. Since he resigned from the Trump organization on January 19, 2017, his accumulation of pension in the Trump organization ended on that date.

a reply to: allsee4eye

Who said anything about pension? Trump owns the Trump Organization. He makes money from his businesses whether he's collecting a pay check as a salaried employee, or not.

a reply to: windword

Do you have proof Donald Trump owns the Trump organization?

In 2005 the Trump organization had an income of many billions. Donald Trump only had an income of 150 million. It does not seem like he owned the Trump organization in 2005.

a reply to: allsee4eye

Here ya go......

The Trump Organization is an American privately owned international conglomerate based in Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It comprises the business ventures and investments of Donald Trump. From 1971 to 2017, Trump ran the company as chairman and president.

After being elected U.S. president, Trump announced that his two oldest sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump (both longtime company executive vice presidents), along with longtime CFO Allen Weisselberg, have taken over the management of the company, serving as trustees for the duration of Trump's presidency. Although he is no longer involved with its day-to-day management, the company remains under Trump's ownership.
en.wikipedia.org...

a reply to: windword

Fair enough. Donald Trump owns the Trump organization. That's not against the law. The president's executive orders do not benefit the president's personal business. I don't see why the president should not have a personal business. It is a hobby. It is a passion. It is a basic human right and freedom.

a reply to: allsee4eye

No, it's not illegal, but Donald Trump IS in violation of the Emolument Clause because of his DC Hotel, which is being used by foreign officials to curry favor with the President, and that is illegal.

The US constitution flatly prohibits any “Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under [the United States]” from accepting “any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State”.

Trump’s continued interest in the Trump Organization and his steady stream of monetary and other benefits from foreign powers put him on a collision course with the emoluments clause. Disentangling every improper influence resulting from special treatment of Trump’s business holdings by foreign states would be impossible. The American people would be condemned to uncertainty, leaving our political discourse rife with accusations of corruption. These problems are exacerbated by the fact that Trump has regularly declined to make his business dealings or tax returns transparent.

Donald Trump will violate the US constitution on inauguration day

   
Foreign diplomats scrambling to do business with Trump hotel in D.C. to curry favor with new White House

Many people also think that those Chinese trademarks also violate the Emolument Clause.

China OKs 38 Trump Trademarks; Critics Say It Violates Emoluments Clause

a reply to: windword

The emoluments clause says the president can accept gifts from foreign states with the consent of Congress. Congress says it's okay for him to get emoluments from foreign states. These emoluments are only a few thousand dollars, only a drop in the ocean compared to the US economy. No big deal and do not affect the president's foreign policies.

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

So in fact the emoluments clause in the Guardian article is incorrect since it leaves out this important part without the Consent of the Congress.

www.heritage.org...#!/articles/1/essays/68/emolu ments-clause

a reply to: allsee4eye

Congress says it's okay for him to get emoluments from foreign states.

Congress has not consented to allow Trumpy to violate the Emolument Clause!

a reply to: windword

Trump isn't doing anything illegal.

If he was, somebody would have this in court by now.

a reply to: windword

Congress has given implicit consent. If a foreign diplomat stays at a Trump hotel and pays a few hundred, that's nothing compared to the Trump organization's tens of billions of annual income. You think a few hundred is enough to curry favor and change Donald Trump's foreign policy? I don't think so.