House to vote on plan to oppose G7 Summit at Trump golf resort

ajc.com

Ridiculing the White House for planning a major summit of world leaders in 2020 at one of President Donald Trump's golf resorts, Democrats will bring a resolution to the House floor in coming days to signal Congressional opposition to the plan, arguing the President is misusing his office for personal financial gain.

"Trump’s corrupt plan to host the G-7 at his failing golf resort in Florida is a blatant violation of the Constitution," said Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ).

"This is blatant corruption in plain sight," said Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO).

"Trump’s big plans to host the G-7 at his Golf Resort are a complete repudiation of everything the Founders wanted for our government and how the President should behave," said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD).

"This is another outrageous example of the President using his office to funnel money from American taxpayers and foreign sources into his own pockets," three Democratic Senators wrote in a letter to the White House.

An effort to halt a G7 at the Doral resort owned by Mr. Trump could be in the shape of a non-binding resolution expressing opposition to the move, a specific bill passed by both the House and Senate, or through restrictions in various government funding bills, which would say that 'none of the funds' in various departments could be used for a G7 event at the President's golf property near Miami.

"A President participating in a contract award to himself is an impeachable act," said Walter Shaub, a former head of the United States Office of Government Ethics, who has been a sharp critic of the President's actions.

The vote would come at a time where Democrats want to put GOP lawmakers on the record about actions by President Trump - mirroring Republican calls for Democrats to vote specifically to authorize an impeachment investigation of Mr. Trump.