The Los Angeles City Council wants an end to the “devastating” Trump presidency.
The council is expected to pass a resolution Friday stating that President Donald Trump should be investigated for any high crimes or misdemeanors sufficient to warrant impeachment proceedings.
“What this tsunami known as Donald Trump has done in just 100 days is devastating and will continue to be devastating to both our city in terms of funding, and to our residents in terms of what he has done with immigrant rights and with women’s rights and with workers’ rights, and to keep this going is frightening,” said Lyn Shaw, a district chief of staff for Councilman Bob Blumenfield who spoke to the Rules, Elections, Intergovernmental Relations and Neighborhoods Committee before it passed the resolution last week.
Blumenfield is not on the committee but is a co-author of the resolution, which is expected to pass, as seven of the 14 current members have already signed onto it.
The resolution calls for the city’s 2017-18 federal legislative program to include support for any legislative action to investigate whether Trump has violated the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution or committed any other high crime or misdemeanor.
Since taking office, Trump has been criticized by ethics experts for not divesting himself of his vast real estate empire, which could be in violation of a provision in the Constitution barring government officials from accepting gifts or benefits from foreign leaders or foreign states.
In January, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a federal lawsuit against Trump, alleging he is violating the Emoluments Clause.
“Diplomats from foreign governments and their agents are staying in Trump hotels, like the Trump hotel in D.C.,” said Zephyr Teachout, one of the lawyers on the case, to NPR. That’s money from foreign governments going into our president’s pocket while he is making decisions that affect those countries.”
Trump, during a news conference at the White House in January, said the suit was without merit.” The president has also said he will donate any profits from foreign governments to the U.S. Treasury on an annual basis.
Blumenfield’s office said dozens of supporters, led by the West Valley Resistance group, are expected to speak at the meeting.
Should the full council approve the resolution, it will be another in a string of motions and resolutions that have been passed in direct opposition to Trump or his agenda.
—City News Service