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China approves Donald Trump-branded spas, escort services, hotels and massage parlours

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
China approves Donald Trump-branded spas, escort services, hotels and massage parlours without US Congress permission

Ethics lawyers argue that if the Trump trademarks receive any special treatment due to their association with the President, it would violate the US Constitution, which prohibits those in public office from accepting anything of value from foreign governments, unless they are approved by Congress.

Congress has not approved the China trademarks.

Norm Eisen, who served as chief ethics lawyer for former President Barack Obama, told The Independent that the initial registration of a long-denied Trump trademark "certainly seems to run afoul of the foreign emoluments clause" of the US Constitution.

"I anticipate that these issues will enter into our litigation," he said.

"When Trump is profiting from these valuable Chinese benefits [...], how can we be sure he will advance US interests in his engagements with that country, for example by staunching the flow of American jobs out from the US to China?"

Conflict of interest, much?

Comments?
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
Its time to buy Trump lunch boxes. Nothing has changed since the last election. He has escort services?

If you want to change the electorate you need to: 1. Clarify the choices 2. Reach the hearts 3. Remove obstacles. This means 1. An alternative candidate with clear advantages. 2. Get people past their resentments. 3. Weaken the political institutions that prevent change. This is not going to be accomplished through discussion of possibly indicting the president or pointing out his issues.

What is needed: 1. Get Bernie back. 2. Publicly apologize to the Republican voters and promise to appeal to their interests. 3. Have your party offer concessions, publicly; and explain exactly the process by which things are going to change in a way that guarantees particular outcomes. If these are not done Pence will be president next, end of story.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I thought this was illegal?
Why would it be illegal?
I can see an advantage here....
China has posed an increasing military threat to us.
This would likely lessen that risk.

Although....
Fans of Catch 22 might envision Trump brand bombers attacking us.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Isn't the president supposed to sever ties to personal businesses?
There's a big question about the extent to which that's required.
If he has others running his empire while he's Prez, then the
licensing of his last name might be legal....weird in a potential
foe like China, but legal. And it could mitigate trade imbalance.
But I don't know...I'm just speculating.
 

leibowde84

Veteran Member
There's a big question about the extent to which that's required.
If he has others running his empire while he's Prez, then the
licensing of his last name might be legal....weird in a potential
foe like China, but legal. And it could mitigate trade imbalance.
But I don't know...I'm just speculating.
But, we know that Trump hasn't given over control entirely to anyone. He still has briefings in the WH about his businesses, and he is still receiving checks from most of them. I think if any of these deals go through, the media will have an absolute responsibility to make it a gigantic story so that we all know Trump is actively breaking the law (even if the Senate isn't man enough to go after him). His businesses cannot financially benefit due to him being president.
 

Underhill

Well-Known Member
Isn't the president supposed to sever ties to personal businesses?

It comes back to the age old question of legality versus ethics. It's a grey area legally so he will get away with it. Ethically, it's pretty clearly messed up. But that has been Trump's MO. If he can walk the line legally, he obviously couldn't care less about ethics.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
But, we know that Trump hasn't given over control entirely to anyone. He still has briefings in the WH about his businesses, and he is still receiving checks from most of them. I think if any of these deals go through, the media will have an absolute responsibility to make it a gigantic story so that we all know Trump is actively breaking the law (even if the Senate isn't man enough to go after him). His businesses cannot financially benefit due to him being president.
If the illegality were so clear cut, wouldn't we expect his foes to be taking decisive action?
 

leibowde84

Veteran Member
If the illegality were so clear cut, wouldn't we expect his foes to be taking decisive action?
Maybe you don't watch the news too much, but they have since he refused to follow the law right after the inauguration. Remember, he was still receiving money from his businesses every month. And, he refused to document all funds his hotel was receiving from foreign agents. Ever since, Democrats in the senate have been suing, trying to force Trump to follow the law. But, because the GOP controlled senate is too cowardly to do anything about it, Trump gets away with breaking the law. It's been a big deal since the get go, but there isn't much the Democrats can do on their own.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Maybe you don't watch the news too much...
I don't like watching news.
So I get mine from NPR & internet aggregators (including, Wa Po, NYT, Fox, WSJ, etc, etc)
And I now have digital NYT.
....but they have since he refused to follow the law right after the inauguration. Remember, he was still receiving money from his businesses every month. And, he refused to document all funds his hotel was receiving from foreign agents. Ever since, Democrats in the senate have been suing, trying to force Trump to follow the law. But, because the GOP controlled senate is too cowardly to do anything about it, Trump gets away with breaking the law. It's been a big deal since the get go, but there isn't much the Democrats can do on their own.
And even reading many leftish sources, I don't see any significant
volume of calls to legally rein in Trump's business connections.
This suggests to me that while they don't like it, they lack a clear
& firm basis in law.
 

esmith

Veteran Member
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Quetzal

A little to the left and slightly out of focus.
Premium Member
There's a big question about the extent to which that's required.
If he has others running his empire while he's Prez, then the
licensing of his last name might be legal....weird in a potential
foe like China, but legal. And it could mitigate trade imbalance.
But I don't know...I'm just speculating.
I don't know either. I am good at asking questions, not that great at answering them, though.
 

Jeremiahcp

Well-Known Jerk
Its time to buy Trump lunch boxes. Nothing has changed since the last election. He has escort services?

If you want to change the electorate you need to: 1. Clarify the choices 2. Reach the hearts 3. Remove obstacles. This means 1. An alternative candidate with clear advantages. 2. Get people past their resentments. 3. Weaken the political institutions that prevent change. This is not going to be accomplished through discussion of possibly indicting the president or pointing out his issues.

What is needed: 1. Get Bernie back. 2. Publicly apologize to the Republican voters and promise to appeal to their interests. 3. Have your party offer concessions, publicly; and explain exactly the process by which things are going to change in a way that guarantees particular outcomes. If these are not done Pence will be president next, end of story.
If and I mean if, Trump is impeached then Pence will be President and that is how it should be. We have laws to follow that you can't just throw to the wind when it is your party that losses. If there are to be any changes to the way we elect the president then that change happens in Congress legally.
 

BSM1

What? Me worry?
Why would it be illegal?
I can see an advantage here....
China has posed an increasing military threat to us.
This would likely lessen that risk.

Although....
Fans of Catch 22 might envision Trump brand bombers attacking us.

Milo Mindbender for Prez!
 
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