Senate Democrats are renewing their focus on Donald Trump’s financial assets after the president-elect delayed a press conference meant to explain how he would step back from his businesses.
Twenty-three senators sent a letter to Trump on Tuesday, saying he should follow the advice of a top government ethics office and take steps to avoid potential conflicts of interest.
{mosads}”As a businessman with assets around the world, your holdings have the potential for serious conflicts between the national interest and your personal financial interests,” the Democrats wrote in a letter.
Democrats want Trump to shed his business holdings and establish a blind trust that is not run by a family member. Those steps, they argue, would comply with advice from the Office of Government Ethics.
“Divestiture of your businesses and the establishment of a qualified blind trust controlled by an independent party would provide assurances that you will put the interests of the American people first and are fully committed to the success of your presidency,” the senators wrote.
Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said a press conference, expected to take place this week, would be delayed until next month because of “how convoluted and complex many of these business holdings are.”
The move also pushes the press conference until after the Electoral College votes on Trump’s election.
Trump has said he will give control of the Trump Organization to his children, but that has raised ethical concerns from Democrats and outside watchdogs.
“Whether the President of the United States makes decisions about potential trade agreements or sending troops into war, the American people need to know that their President is acting in their best interest,” the Democrats added on Tuesday.
Democrats argue Trump not moving his assets into a blind trust could violate Article 1, Section 9 of the Constitution, which states: “No Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under [the United States], 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.”
Democrats also
introduced a resolution late last month urging Trump to put his assets into a blind trust to avoid the appearance of potential conflicts of interest.
Under the resolution, if Trump doesn’t convert his assets — or take an equivalent step — Congress could consider any transactions between Trump-owned companies and foreign governments as potential violations of the Constitution.
Democratic Sens. Tom Carper (Del.), Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Michael Bennet (Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Cory Booker (N.J.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Ben Cardin (Md.), Bob Casey (Pa.), Chris Coons (Del.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Edward Markey (Mass.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Patty Murray (Wash.), Gary Peters (Mich.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Tom Udall (N.M), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.) and Ron Wyden (Ore.) signed Tuesday’s leter.
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