President Trump and his family have failed to report nearly $300,000 worth of gifts from abroad during his tenure, according to a new report by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee that says the unreported gifts cause constitutional problems could.
The Trump family went unreported on 17 separate gifts from Saudi Arabia totaling $48,000, including a $24,000 dagger given by the Crown Prince to Jared Kushner, Mr Trump’s son-in-law, who is a top Consultant at worked the time.
Committee officials said the Trump family also failed to report a larger-than-life portrait of Mr. Trump given by the president of El Salvador, golf clubs given by the Japanese prime minister, and a $4,630 marble model of the Taj Mahal by the Indian President.
Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, called the report “preliminary” but said it revealed a “blatant disregard for the rule of law.”
He said some of the gifts have not yet been accounted for.
They include the portrait from El Salvador, which investigators said may have been spirited away with the Trump family when Mr Trump left office in January 2021.
“We remain committed to pursuing the facts to determine the extent to which former President Trump broke the law or violated the Constitution in failing to report gifts and in taking possession of valuable items without paying fair market value for them ‘ said Mr Raskin.
The Times has reached out to a Trump adviser for comment.
Foreign gifts are to be reported in the federal register if their dollar value is above a “minimum” level — about $390 for most of Mr Trump’s tenure.
The President is to be barred by law from owning them and instead takes them in trust for the nation through the National Archives.
Recipients who wish to keep an item can purchase it from the archives, but they should still be reported so the public can judge if anyone seems to favor a nation that has showered the President with gifts.
Mr Raskin said Democrat staffers began their investigation last year while still controlling the committee.
Using public reports and internal documents, they identified 117 unreported foreign gifts totaling $291,000.
The Saudi government was particularly rich in gifts, giving out daggers, swords and clothes. Bahrain’s crown prince presented a $12,000 saber and the Emir of Qatar also presented a $35,000 dagger that was unreported. Investigators say that was turned over to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Mr Raskin’s report suggests that the President and his family have become worse at compliance over time.
Mr Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Mr Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump – who also served as an advisor – reported 74 gifts in 2017. They reported only 34 in 2018, 35 in 2019 and just one in 2020.
Democratic investigators said previous White House occupants reported higher levels of gifts.
Investigators found notices that suggested the Trump family knew they were breaking the law.
A note suggests the first lady tried to reclaim diamond earrings given by the Czech Republic but tried to cover everything up. A note reads: “FLOTUS prefers not to make items public[sic].” FLOTUS stands for First Lady of the United States.
In addition to the ethics law, Mr. Raskin said the president may have violated the constitution’s emoluments clause, which prohibits the president from enriching himself during his tenure, including through donations from foreign governments.
Trump’s critics had taken legal action against the then-President for violating eligibility by operating the Trump International Hotel in Washington while he was serving as President.
The President had lost several procedural battles in lower courts over the allegations, but they never reached final rulings on the substantive issues, and the Supreme Court overturned those rulings shortly after Mr Trump left office in 2021.
Source : www.washingtontimes.com