WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th April, 2019) The Trump International Hotel's hosting of a three-day conference on US-Turkish relations this week may violate a US Constitution provision against accepting money from a foreign state, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) said on Monday.
"If the Turkish government office is funneling money to the Trump hotel through its sponsorship of the conference, Trump's acceptance of those payments may implicate the Constitution's Emoluments Clause barring the president from accepting payments from a foreign state without approval from Congress," CREW said in a statement on its website.
The Turkey Investment Office (TIO) is sponsoring the 37th Annual Conference on US-Turkey Relations at the hotel in Washington and the TIO is a part of the Turkish government reporting directly to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the statement said.
"Prominent Trump Administration officials are ... scheduled to speak at the event, including Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford. Former Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke is also speaking," CREW noted.
Two years ago, the 36th annual conference was also hosted at the hotel, just months after Trump took office. Before Trump became president, the event was held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, the statement noted.
