'He violated the Constitution': Legal expert lays out why Trump is 'unfit' to serve
Trump's $7.8 million money grab makes him constitutionally "compromised," according to one legal expert.
The influx of foreign dough that former President Donald Trump raked in during his single term in office has former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade making it clear that Trump should be disqualified from serving.
"The emoluments clause says that the president cannot receive any payments or gifts from a foreign source, unless he gets the consent of Congress," she said during an appearance on MSNBC. "Certainly Donald Trump didn't get any such consent; he didn't ask for such consent — so, he violated the Constitution."
The findings were brought to light by U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee Democrats, whose 156-page report alleged that the sum, sourced from 20 foreign countries paid to Trump and his family during his 2017-2021 administration, is in direct violation of the emoluments clause.
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"These countries spent — often lavishly — on apartments and hotel stays at Donald Trump's properties — personally enriching President Trump while he made foreign policy decisions connected to their policy agendas with far-reaching ramifications for the United States," according to the report.
But even with the findings, McQuade acknowledges that there is little recourse years after he's left office.
"There is not a criminal statute that makes it an offense for which it could be charged with a crime," she said. "But if that information had come to light while he was in office, it would certainly be grounds for impeachment."
She does believe it can be fuel to hit back at Trump as he attempts to win the GOP primary and ultimately secure a second term as president.
"It should be grounds that his opponents can use against him in a campaign that he's unfit to serve as president because of this and a really important point about government ethics, some of this has been explained away by the Trump family as nonsense or 'This is just business!, 'It doesn't have to do with decisions being made!', — government ethics are all about the appearance of the conflict of interest."