(CREW): Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW):|”Governmental Employees Violation of the Emoluments Articles

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that works to expose ethics violations and corruption by government officials and institutions and to reduce the role of money in politics.

CREW was founded in 2003 by Norman Eisen and Melanie Sloan. Eisen is a former White House ethics lawyer and Sloan is a former federal prosecutor. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

CREW uses a variety of methods to achieve its goals, including:

* Legal action: CREW has filed numerous lawsuits against government officials and institutions for violating ethics laws.

* Investigations: CREW conducts independent investigations into potential ethics violations.

* Advocacy: CREW works to change laws and regulations to make government more ethical and accountable.

* Education: CREW provides educational materials about ethics and government accountability to the public.

CREW has had a number of successes in its efforts to fight corruption and promote ethics in government. In 2015, CREW won a landmark lawsuit against the Federal Election Commission, forcing the agency to disclose more information about political spending. In 2017, CREW helped to expose the Trump administration's use of private email accounts for government business. And in 2018, CREW helped to pass the STOCK Act, which prohibits members of Congress from trading stocks based on non-public information.

CREW is a leading voice in the fight for ethics in government. The organization's work has helped to make government more transparent and accountable, and it has helped to hold corrupt officials to account. CREW continues to work tirelessly to ensure that our government is ethical and serves the interests of the people, not the powerful.

Here are some of CREW's recent accomplishments:

* In 2022, CREW helped to expose the Trump administration's use of the Department of Justice to target its political opponents.

* CREW also won a lawsuit against the Trump administration, forcing the release of records related to the administration's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

* In 2023, CREW has continued to investigate and expose corruption in the Trump administration, as well as in Congress and state governments.

CREW is a vital watchdog for our democracy. The organization's work is essential to ensuring that our government is ethical and accountable to the people.

The Foreign Emoluments Clause Art. 1, Section 9, Clause 8, and The Domestic Emoluments Clause , Art 2, Section 1, Clause 7

The Foreign Emoluments Clause and the Domestic Emoluments Clause are two provisions of the United States Constitution that prohibit government officials from receiving gifts or payments from foreign governments or from the federal government.

The Foreign Emoluments Clause is found in Article I, Section 9, Clause 8. It states that "No Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."

The Domestic Emoluments Clause is found in Article II, Section 1, Clause 7. It states that "The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them."

The Foreign Emoluments Clause was designed to prevent foreign governments from currying favor with American officials by giving them gifts or payments. The Domestic Emoluments Clause was designed to prevent the President from becoming too wealthy or powerful from his position.

The Foreign Emoluments Clause has been the subject of much legal debate in recent years. In 2017, several lawsuits were filed alleging that then-President Donald Trump violated the clause by continuing to operate his businesses while in office. The lawsuits were ultimately dismissed, but they raised important questions about the scope and application of the clause.

The Domestic Emoluments Clause has been less controversial. However, it has been argued that the clause could be used to challenge the President's receipt of payments from foreign governments or from the federal government.

The Foreign Emoluments Clause and the Domestic Emoluments Clause are important provisions of the Constitution that help to protect the independence of our government and to prevent corruption. They are essential to ensuring that our government is accountable to the people, not to foreign powers or special interests.

Donald J. Trump, Violations of the Emoluments Articles 

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has indeed been involved in investigations into former President Donald Trump regarding potential violations of the Emoluments Clauses of the U.S. Constitution.

The Emoluments Clauses include the Foreign Emoluments Clause (Article I, Section 9, Clause 8) and the Domestic Emoluments Clause (Article II, Section 1, Clause 7). The Foreign Emoluments Clause prohibits federal officeholders from receiving any gift, payment, or other thing of value from a foreign state or its rulers, officers, or representatives. The Domestic Emoluments Clause prohibits the president from receiving any compensation, other than his official salary, from the federal government or the states during his term in office.

CREW, along with other plaintiffs, filed a lawsuit in January 2017 alleging that Trump was in violation of these clauses due to his continued involvement with his businesses, which conducted business with foreign and domestic governments. The lawsuit argued that these business dealings constituted unconstitutional emoluments.

The case has faced numerous legal challenges and was initially dismissed by a district court judge. The dismissal was later reversed by an appeals court, but eventually the Supreme Court ordered the lower courts to dismiss the case as moot after Trump left office.

Here are some of the specific things that CREW has done to promote ethics in government:

• CREW has filed lawsuits against government officials who have violated ethics laws.
• CREW has conducted independent investigations into potential ethics violations.
• CREW has worked to change laws and regulations to make government more ethical and accountable.
• CREW has provided educational materials about ethics and government accountability to the public.
• CREW has held public events to raise awareness about ethics in government.
• CREW has worked to build a coalition of organizations that are committed to fighting corruption.

CREW's work has had a significant impact on government ethics. The organization has helped to expose corruption, to change laws and regulations, and to educate the public about ethics in government. CREW's work is essential to ensuring that our government is ethical and accountable to the people.

It's important to note that these allegations have not been conclusively proven in court and are part of an ongoing debate about the interpretation and enforcement of the Emoluments Clauses.

Sources

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_for_Responsibility_and_Ethics_in_Washington
2. books.google.com/books?id=jcmUD97qrtAC 
3. books.google.com/books?id=MTAOAAAAIAAJ 
4. books.google.com/books?id=wFM-AAAAYAAJ 
5. books.google.com/books?id=j1owAQAAMAAJ