Here's The Law That Poses The Greatest Threat To Donald Trump

[DonViejo]

The Stock Act’s author explains the insider trading law will be extremely difficult for the next president to follow if he keeps his businesses.

12/21/2016 07:01 am ET | Updated 2 hours ago

Michael McAuliff
Senior Congressional Reporter, The Huffington Post

WASHINGTON ― By walking onto the inaugural platform outside the Capitol and putting his hand on a Bible on Jan. 20, Donald Trump may be stepping closer to committing a felony than he ever imagined when he launched his unlikely bid to become the nation’s 45th president.

That’s because Congress passed a law in 2012 called the Stock Act, which explicitly bars the president, members of Congress and senior executive branch officials from using their insider knowledge to make money.

Obeying the law is not especially difficult for most people. But most people do not have access to the immense amount of secret information that presidents deal with every day. And no presidents before have been billionaires with business holdings spread around the world.

The law is clear in saying that the president cannot do anything that resembles helping friends, family members or himself to make a profit off of information he gains from doing his job.

“It’s the same as it applies to the American people,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), the lead author of the Stock Act. “You cannot trade on nonpublic information. That is a criminal violation of the law.”

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/stock-act-donald-trump_us_5859c045e4b0d9a594566921

[sarcasmo]

1. I think it was 60 minutes who had a great segment on this law.

Let me use the way back machine to see if I can find the segment.

[progressoid]

13. "honest graft"

Isn't that quaint.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. With Republican rule of Congress, all they have to do is change the law

a la North Carolina.

[Bettie]

5. Or simply ignore the breaking of it

demand that the DOJ not prosecute such things and come down on states that dare to try.

He'll break the law and receive zero consequences.

[TheFrenchRazor]

31. this. welcome to the "kleptocracy." nt

[sheshe2]

3. Lock him up!

[yallerdawg]

8. Lock him up!

[sheshe2]

12. Hello yallerdawg!

[TygrBright]

4. But laws don't apply to Presidents, right? ::sarcasm:: n/t

[lastlib]

6. Gingrich says Little Donny is so wealthy that laws don't apply to him.

Nixon said, "If the president does it, then it's not illegal."

So apparently, the law doesn't apply to presidents who are billionaires and have YUUuuuge hands, ifyaknowwhutImean............

[JudyM]

21. They don't follow the law or even basic ethical rules... congress' insider trading, Scalia's wining

and dining and traveling with parties interested in the outcome of S Ct cases, they pay it no mind and it's only going to get worse than ever under this configuration that starts next month.

When we get back in power, I hope our congress critters have the integrity to establish tougher standards for all 3 branches.

[bigbrother05]

11. Laws don't apply to GOP Presidents,

look at all the legal crap thrown at Clinton and implied toward Obama. Bill made it easy for them to pull down the barriers, but Obama was too careful for them to get much traction.

Dems care about and tend to respect the rule of law. The GOP only sees the law as a way to control others and as an inconvenience delay for their plans.

[unblock]

7. if it becomes a problem, republicans will quickly and quietly change the law.

they'll set up some special court or some sham cover to pretend they're still enforcing the law.

but they won't let some federal prosecutor screw up their good times just because their leader is a crook.

[yurbud]

9. prosecution will depend on how well he takes care of those much wealthier than him

If they feel betrayed by him, being preyed for insider trading would be the least of his worries.

[hunter]

30. Trump has a lot to fear from the real billionaires.

If he screws with them or their businesses they'll crush him like a bug.

[yurbud]

32. judging from his cabinet, he may have already figured that out (if he wasn't their Manchurian

Candidate in the first place).

[progressoid]

10. Ha. As if the law makes a difference to these people.

[tenorly]

14. The laws - possibly even the Constitution itself - won't apply to Trump.

GOP congresscritters and the incoming kangaroo majority in the Supreme Court will see to that.

[Javaman]

15. that's nice, but please explain to me who's going to enforce it?

I'm not holding my breath.

we have gone down the rabbit hole never to return.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. The GOP will surely prefer Pence; if not now then before long. . . . nt

[Javaman]

20. one would like to believe that...

but I place zero faith in the concept that at some point the gop will all come to their collective senses.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

22. Pence in his own way is as bad or worse than tRump, but is not stupid or narcissistic.

tRump knows how to obtain and keep a very loyal core base, but is going to lose a lot of leaners and wobbly people.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

16. tRump may have already done so with Lockheed vs Boeing. Shares dropped before his tweet. nt

[tblue37]

18. Silly rabbit, don't you know? IOKIYAR! nt

[IronLionZion]

19. How quickly can we impeach him before GOP repeals the law?

[hughee99]

24. So you're asking how quickly we can get an impeachment from the same congress that you think

is going to repeal the law to protect him?

[IronLionZion]

25. Or a preemptive strike from the current Congress and President

[hughee99]

26. Can he be impeached before he's taken office? Nt

[IronLionZion]

27. Impossible unthinkable things have already happened

so it really alters the boundaries of what's possible anymore

[hughee99]

29. Good point. Nt

[Crunchy Frog]

28. The law will mean nothing once he's in office.

Like all dictators, he will be the law. Who is going to be able to stop him?