Japanese Prime Minister's Visit to Trump Resort Raises Ethics Concerns

[highplainsdem]

Source: WSJ

President Donald Trump’s plan to host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his Palm Beach, Fla., golf resort this weekend has prompted concerns from ethics experts, amid questions about who will finance the trip.

Mr. Abe will visit the White House on Friday, after which the two leaders will travel together to Mar-a-Lago, the resort Mr. Trump has dubbed his “Winter White House.” Press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters at Wednesday’s briefing that he didn’t know whether the U.S. or Japanese government would pay for the trip, and a White House spokeswoman didn’t respond to subsequent questions about the plan.

If the Japanese government were to pay for the cost of Mr. Abe staying at Mar-a-Lago, experts said, the president would likely violate a constitutional provision that federal officers cannot accept payments or gifts from foreign countries without the consent of Congress. Violations of the clause—which largely hasn’t been litigated—could result in forfeiting the payments to the U.S. government.

Ethics experts said the most appropriate option would be for Mr. Trump to host Mr. Abe at Mar-a-Lago as his guest, if Japanese government ethics rules permit. That would eliminate the need for the Japanese government to pay any guest fees for a round of golf and overnight stay.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/japanese-prime-ministers-visit-to-trump-resort-raises-ethics-concerns-1486599815

---

The article goes on to say that according to Richard Painter, George W. Bush's lawyer, any payment by Japan should go directly to thee US government, and not to Trump's business.

[Angry Dragon]

1. I say IMPEACH HIM NOW

[tenorly]

2. Reminiscent of rumors swirling around Al Haig during the Nixon and Reagan years.

Haig's father-in-law was none other than Douglas MacArthur, and he was believed to have inherited a lot of the sub-rosa interests MacArthur was said to have secured for himself during his days as Military Administrator of Japan.

[yallerdawg]

3. He's thumbing his nose with his notion of "Imperial Presidency."

We've seen it before.

Just a little more rope...

[msongs]

4. maybe there will be lots of bait waiting for him there nt

[xxqqqzme]

5. WTF

is wrong with Washington DC and the White House? Every other president managed state dinners, concerts and special events using the White House.

[highplainsdem]

6. ABC News story says WH spokesperson said Trump will host Abe "as a personal gift" to him.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-hosting-japanese-prime-minister-mar-lago-gift/story?id=45361690


But this is a personal gift only to Abe, and his staff will have to stay elsewhere, according to that story, with the government covering their costs.