Congressman Ted W. Lieu of Los Angeles, Calif., announced today that he has started a “Cloud of Illegitimacy Clock” on Donald Trump’s continual violation of Article 1, Section 9 of the Constitution of the United States of America.

“The second after Donald Trump took the oath of Office, he violated the Constitution and continues to do so,” said Lieu.

“The Framers wrote Article 1, Section 9 of the Constitution to prevent foreign influence over our elected officials.  It mandates that no person holding office ‘shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever from any King, Prince, or foreign State.’

“While holding office, Mr. Trump will receive—by virtue of his continued interest in the vast and global Trump Organization and his stake in hundreds of other entities—a steady stream of monetary and other benefits from foreign powers and their agents.  This is illegal.

“Trump can stop his illegal behavior by divesting his global business interests or putting them into blind trusts.  He refuses to do so.  Not only is he violating the law, he is explicitly putting his financial interests and those of his family above the interests of America.  Trump is not making America First, he is making America Second.

“As a Member of the House Judiciary Committee, I will do everything I can to hold Trump accountable.  My first action is the creation of a Cloud of Illegitimacy Clock that keeps track of the seconds, minutes, hours, and days that Trump is operating outside of the law.  (Click here to access the Illegitimacy Clock.)  At some point, the Clock is going to catch up to Trump.  For now, Trump appears to be taking the position of former President Richard Nixon that ‘when the president does it, that means it is not illegal.’  How did that work out?”