Trump often complains that it is not fair for him to give up his businesses. The Constitution does not require him to — but it does require him to seek consent. Trump’s refusal to provide transparency goes to the heart of the problem the emoluments clause was seeking to address — secret conflicts and hidden interests that could influence the president.
.. Ironically, Republican could very well offer that approval, but of course they want no part in forcing Trump to disclose what he owns.
Canadian Investment Regulations Require Disclosing Fees
Because they’re so frugal, Heather and Harry were vexed to see how much they are paying in investment fees. The numbers appeared in the new, more detailed statement investment firms are required to send clients under regulatory guidelines known as the Client Relationship Model 2, or CRM2.
.. it is understandable that they have a concern about the $7,000 they pay in fees each year on their mutual fund investments
Trump Is America’s Most Honest President
He just can’t help himself from blurting out the truth—even when it’s self-sabotage.
And it wasn’t even under interrogation lights that he gave up the truth. He volunteered it. I chopped down the cherry tree, Lester Holt! “When I decided to just do it”—fire Comey, the FBI director, on his own initiative—“I said to myself, I said, ‘You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story. It’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should have won.’” It was a flamboyant act of self-sabotage—Trump admitted that he fired the man investigating his campaign’s potential ties to Russia because he was investigating his campaign’s potential ties to Russia—and it unsurprisingly prompted cries of obstruction of justice and calls, ultimately answered, for a special prosecutor. But Trump showed no remorse.
.. Trump also readily admits his ignorance: He confessed, for instance, that before a short chat with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he didn’t understand why it should be so hard for China to bring North Korea to heel. Trump has also blurted out that he had a good chance of being the first candidate to make money running for president; that he finds healthcare mind-bogglingly complicated
.. Whatever it costs him in the real world—and the price of his indiscretions seems increasingly steep these days—Trump must always defend his personal supremacy. He hates the suggestion of his campaign’s collusion with Russia not because it could be criminal, dangerous to national security, immoral or even outright treasonous. He hates it for one reason only: It takes away from his November victory.
.. here’s the secret to Trump’s secrets: They never seem mistakenly to “slip” out, as if he were surprised by his own gaffe and regretted it afterward. Instead, he takes pride in his loose lips. With the Russian ambassador and foreign minister, he was boasting of his “great intel” and, to prove it, promptly burned a key intelligence source (oh, but he never mentioned Israel).
.. like a boy who hams up his burps and then glows with pride.
.. On the other hand, it’s a boon to anyone who would investigate him.
Kristof: Trump’s Lack of Transparency Over Conflicts of Interest
The really startling thing about the Trump administration is not the penchant for conflicts of interest, nor the lack of transparency. It’s how they interact. For example, as this article notes, the administration gives out waivers from conflict of interest rules — and then keeps the waivers secret. This is the swampiest swamp I’ve ever covered.