AFTER TRUMP TWEETS, HOUSE JUDICIARY DEMOCRATS PRESS FOR HEARING ON TRUMP CONFLICTS

House Judiciary Democrats Release CRS Memo Outlining Ethics Provisions Applicable to the President

Washington, DC – After President-elect Donald Trump’s vague announcement this morning to leave his “…great business in total...,” all sixteen Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee wrote today to Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) to request that the Committee hold hearings to examine the federal conflicts-of-interest and ethics provisions that may apply to the President of the United States.

In their letter, the Members wrote, “Although we do not yet know the details of his proposal, this announcement raises a number of questions, including whether Mr. Trump intends to legally transfer ownership of his assets to his children, or simply allow them to manage his assets; the extent his children will continue to be involved in his Administration and whether they will be subject to an “ethics firewall;” whether businesses, foreign governments, and others will continue to able to take actions that benefit Mr. Trump and his family; and what level if any of transparency in these matters Mr. Trump will provide.”

great business in total in order to fully focus on running the country in order to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! While I am not mandated to ....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016

Previously, Mr. Trump claimed that “the president can’t have a conflict of interest.”  However, at the request of Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr., the Congressional Research Service (CRS), a non-partisan legislative agency operating out of the Library of Congress, has prepared a list of federal ethics and conflict-of-interest rules that may and should apply to Mr. Trump when he assumes office. This list includes four criminal statutes and the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.  In their letter, the Members cite these rules as a cause for concern.

The letter was signed by every Democratic member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, including: Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Pedro Pierluisi (D-Res.Comm.- PR), Judy Chu (D-CA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Karen Bass (D-CA), Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), David Cicilline (D-RI), and Scott Peters (D-CA).

U.S. House Judiciary Letter Requesting immediate Conflict of Interest Hearings on President-elect Trump Con... by Beverly Tran on Scribd

Conflict of Interest and “Ethics” Provisions That May Apply to the President by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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House Democrats introduce Fair Day in Court for Kids Act

Click here to watch the video of the press conference

WASHINGTON, D.C – Today, 54 House Democrats, led by U.S. Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Luis V. Gutiérrez (D- Ill.), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.), introduced new legislation – a companion to similar legislation in the U.S. Senate – to protect children and other vulnerable groups in immigration proceedings by ensuring access to counsel, legal orientation programs, and case management services.

The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act ensures due process for children and vulnerable individuals, and offers an alternative to ICE raids that risk sending individuals to dangerous countries where they face threats of violence, abuse, or even death.

The members were joined by U.S. Representatives John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), Alma Adams (D-N.C.), and Judy Chu (D-Calif.) at a press conference this morning to announce the new legislation (video in link).

Under current law, there is no right to appointed counsel in immigration removal proceedings, even if the respondent is a child.  Statistics show the overwhelming majority of children without attorneys are ordered deported while children with attorneys are five times more likely to be granted protection. Advocates assert that a child’s constitutional right to “due process” cannot be met without legal representation.

The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act:

1. Requires the government to appoint counsel to children, and vulnerable individuals, including those with disabilities and victims of abuse, torture, or violence.
2. Requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Attorney General to establish procedures to ensure that legal orientation programs are available to all detained immigrants.
3. Creates a case management pilot project to increase court appearance rates.
4. Requires DHS to submit reports to Congress on the number of individuals identified in the Act who were represented by counsel and the number of individuals who received legal orientation presentations.

Fair Day in Court for Kids Section by Section

Fair Day in Court for Kids Act

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CONYERS AND 10 OTHER HOUSE JUDICIARY DEMOCRATS SEEK ANSWERS FROM NFL IN RAY RICE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT

WASHINGTON – Today, several Members of the House Judiciary Committee issued a letter to Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), raising questions related to their handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence incident. 

The letter is signed by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers Jr. (MI-13),  Reps. Jerrold Nadler (NY-10),  Luis Gutierrez (IL-04), Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Cedric L. Richmond (LA- 02), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr. (GA-04), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Judy Chu (CA-27), Karen Bass (CA-37), Suzan K. DelBene (WA-01) and Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08).

CONYERS AND 10 OTHER HOUSE JUDICIARY DEMOCRATS SEEK ANSWERS FROM NFL IN RAY RICE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT...

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