>>> THE NEW QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESIDENT TO ANSWER TODAY.
MSNBC HAS A NEW REPORT RELATED TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S BUSINESS
DEALINGS WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS.
YOU MAY RECALL JUST DAYS BEFORE TAKING OFFICE, THE PRESIDENT DID
PROMISE TO DONATE ALL PROFITS HE EARNED FROM FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS
BACK TO THE UNITED STATES TREASURY.
THAT WAY HE WOULD AVOID POTENTIAL CONFLICT.
BUT MSNBC HAS LEARNED THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION IS NOT IN FACT
TRACKING ALL POSSIBLE PAYMENTS. MSNBC CHIEF LEGAL CORRESPONDENT
ARI MELBOURNE JOINS ME WITH MORE.
YOU'VE BEEN TRACKING THIS AND TRYING TO DIG IN.
THEY'RE NOT KEEPING TRACK OF WHO'S PAYING WHAT AT THE HOTELS?
>> THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO TRACK THE MONEY AND DONATE IT
BACK TO THE TREASURY. THAT'S IMPORTANT, BECAUSE
FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS CAN SPEND MONEY IN ALL SORTS OF WAYS TO
INFLUENCE THE PRESIDENT. THE CONSTITUTION SAYS YOU CAN'T
TAKE FORM GIFTS AS A PRESIDENT BECAUSE IT COULD INFLUENCE YOU
AND THAT COULD BE A BIG PROBLEM. THAT'S WHAT IS CALLED THE
EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE. THERE'S A OPEN CASE ON THIS IN
NEW YORK. SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN MY LEGAL
UNIT HERE AT MSNBC IS DIG INTO THIS.
HOW WOULD THIS WORK AND WHAT'S GOING ON?
WE FOUND A LOT. THE BIG HEADLINE HERE IS WE HAVE
OBTAINED THE INTERNAL TRUMP POLICY FOR HOW THEY'RE DOING
THIS PUT UP ON THE SCREEN.
>> SO THEY'RE PUTTING THE ONUS ON THE FOREIGNERS TO IDENTIFY
THEMSELVES. >> EXACTLY.
THAT IS IN SPIRIT, AND I THINK IN LETTER A REAL DEPARTURE OR
VIOLATION OF THE PLEDGE DONALD TRUMP MADE IN JANUARY AFTER HE
WAS ELECTED SAYING WE'RE GOING TO TRACK ALL THIS AND GIVE THE
MONEY BACK. THEY'RE NOW SAYING BASICALLY,
WE'RE JUST GOING TO TRUST THE FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO
POTENTIALLY COULD BE TRYING TO INFLUENCE OR BRIBE THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT TO SELF-REPORT THEMSELVES.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU ONE MORE REACTION.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CREW, WHICH IS SUING THEM, GAVE US
THIS RESPONSE --
>> PLAYING DEVIL'S ADVOCATE HERE, CAN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION OR TRUMP ORGANIZATION ARGUE HEY, LISTEN,
IF WE DON'T KNOW THEY'RE A FOREIGN NATIONAL, THEY CAN'T
INFLUENCE US. >> THEY COULD ARGUE THAT.
IF YOU THINK THE TRACKING SYSTEM IS THE END OF THE STORY.
THE QUESTION, AND THIS WILL ULTIMATELY BE RESOLVED BY THE
COURTS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A RULING ON THIS BECAUSE NO
PRESIDENT HAS EVER TRIED TO RUN THIS LARGE A BUSINESS, IS
WHETHER THE MONEY ITSELF CONSTITUTES AN ILLEGAL GIFT.
IF IT DOES, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ORDERED TO TRACK AND GIVE OVER
ALL THIS. THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION HAS TAKEN
THE LEGAL POSITION THAT THEY WERE DOING THIS VOLUNTARILY,
THAT NO COURT HAS EVER SAID IT WAS A GIFT --
>> THEY SAY HOTEL ROOMS DON'T AMOUNT TO THAT.
>> THAT'S THEIR VIEW. BUT WHAT'S NEW HERE AND WHAT'S
DIFFERENT, AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT THEY WENT FROM SAYING
WE'RE GOING TO TRACK IT TO FORK IT OF TO WE'RE GOING TO TRACK
ABOUT IT BUT NOT ASK ABOUT IT. >> AND THIS APPLIES TO ALL OF
TRUMP'S VERY MANY PROPERTIES. >> AND WE SPOKE TO CONGRESSMAN
CUMMINGS. HIS RESPONSE WAS, IF THEY'RE NOT
GOING TO TRACK IT, THINK WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON.
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