Democratic senators criticize Trump on Chinese trademarks
Source: Associated Press
FRIDAY, FEB 24, 2017 12:00 PM EST
ERIKA KINETZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS
SHANGHAI (AP) — Democratic senators are protesting the Trump Organization’s acceptance of a valuable trademark from the Chinese government without asking Congress first if doing so is constitutional.
A group of 13 senators warned President Donald Trump in a letter Thursday that they intend to hold him accountable to his oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. Additional Democrats signed a letter Friday to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that complains about Trump getting special treatment from China.
“A president must not have two masters,” said Thursday’s letter, led by Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal. “If you continue to refuse to request and receive congressional approval before accepting favors from foreign governments, we will be unable to serve our constitutional role. Such a situation is unacceptable.”
The letters come in response to China’s Feb. 14 registration of a trademark for construction services to Trump. He secured the mark only after fighting for 10 grinding years in China’s courts to win back rights from a man named Dong Wei. A bureaucratic about-face after Trump declared his candidacy has raised questions about whether his political rise is benefiting his family business. These concerns are particularly sharp in China, where the courts and bureaucracy reflect the will of the ruling Communist Party.
Read more: http://www.salon.com/2017/02/24/democratic-senators-criticize-trump-on-chinese-trademarks/
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