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Emoluments Clause is Not Phony

Floor Speech

Date: Oct. 21, 2019
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Constitution Executive Branch Legislative Branch

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Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, today, President Trump held a press conference and referred to the Emoluments Clause in the Constitution as the ``phony Emoluments Clause.''

I take an oath to support the Constitution, as does he, as do all 435 of us. I am also the chairman of the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee.

I take umbrage at his remarks. The Emoluments Clause was first put in the Articles of Confederation, and before that, 100 years earlier, the Dutch put it in their documents to protect from foreign influence.

It was said at the Constitutional Convention that a violation of the Emoluments Clause could result in impeachment.

No wonder President Trump thinks it is phony.

There is nothing phony about the Emoluments Clause, the impeachment clause, Article I, Congress' powers, or separation of the three branches of government.

Madam Speaker, I respect the Constitution, and I wish the President would as well.

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