Foreign contributions Archives | American Democracy Minute

The Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause was Intended to Stop Bribery and Corruption. Recently, Not So Much.

May 14, 2025May 14, 2025

This is a timely rebroadcast of a piece we did last November on the emoluments clause. The numbers quoted are chump change compared with the money being thrown at President Donald Trump by foreign countries right now in bitcoin, sweetheart investments and even a luxury Boeing 747. What would the framers have said?

President Trump’s Crypto Conflicts Compound as United Arab Emirates Investment Fund Uses $2B in Trump-Backed Cryptocurrency for Deal

May 5, 2025May 5, 2025

A new Trump-backed crypto currency company launched last September got a credibility boost when a United Arab Emirates investment fund used it to make a $2 billion dollar investment in another company. This raises more conflicts of interest for President Donald Trump, still named as World Liberty Financial’s “Chief Crypto Advocate.”

What is a ‘Baby FARA’ and Why are States Enacting It?

April 30, 2025April 30, 2025

The federal version of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, has been in place since 1938, but recently, states are passing their own versions, nicknamed “baby FARAs.” What are they, and how do they relate to American Democracy?

Just 2 Weeks Before Bribery and Corruption Charges are Dropped Against NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez Gets 11 Years for Similar Charges

February 18, 2025February 18, 2025

A federal judge sentenced former New Jersey U.S. Senator Bob Menendez January 29th to 11 years in prison for corruption charges and acting as a foreign agent. Menendez, a Democrat, was contrite in the courtroom, but blasted the process as “political,” and “corrupted to the core” in a not-so-subtle appeal to President Donald Trump.

The Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause was Intended to Stop Bribery and Corruption. Recently, Not So Much.

November 26, 2024November 26, 2024

The framers of the U.S. Constitution included the Foreign Emoluments Clause because they feared the influence, corruption and bribery they witnessed in Europe’s monarchies. Why should Americans care about it?