Wyden, Merkley Introduce Legislation Targeting The Use of Presidential Libraries as Tools for Corruption

Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore., said today they have joined colleagues in introducing legislation that would close loopholes letting presidential libraries be used for corruption and bribery.
From mega-merger approvals to the preservation of the U.S. military base in Qatar, giant corporations, at least one foreign government, and several other entities have promised donations collectively worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Donald Trump’s future library while he has the power to affect those same entities’ futures. The contributions, many in the form of settlements to Trump-filed lawsuits, raise serious ethics concerns about potential bribery and corruption.
“Donald Trump can’t be allowed to get away with accepting any shiny, lavish gift that comes his way from big corporations, foreign governments, and even anonymous donors,”Wyden said.“No president should be allowed to accumulate more wealth by receiving the fanciest gifts and then self-classifying them as ‘contributions’ to presidential libraries. It’s time to put a cap on contributions to hold corrupt, self-serving presidents like Trump accountable for making sketchy, back-alley deals.”
“We can’t allow his presidential library to be yet another avenue for President Trump to sell access and influence to the highest bidders. Without action, we stamp a Congressional seal of approval on Trump’s ability to use his future library to enrich himself and his family,”said Merkley.“We need the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act to close the corrupt loophole that allows for foreign governments and giant corporations to give unlimited library donations, protecting our ‘We The People’ republic.”

Unlike presidential campaigns or inaugural committees, presidential libraries are subject to almost no restrictions on donations, which means contributions can come from foreign nationals, lobbyists, people seeking presidential pardons, and corporations with matters before federal agencies.
Just weeks ago, Paramount settled Trump’s seemingly meritless lawsuit for $16 million as it is currently vying for the Trump administration’s approval of its proposed mega-merger with Skydance. In May , Trump announced he would accept a free luxury jet — worth about $400 million — from the government of Qatar, and that the jet would be donated to his presidential library after he leaves office.
The Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act would:
The bill was led in the Senate by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. In the House, it was led by U.S. Representatives Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M. In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the bill was cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Andy Kim,D-N.J., Ed Markey, D-Mass.,Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I..
The bill is endorsed by the following: Project On Government Oversight, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Democracy Defenders Action, Campaign Legal Center, Freedom of the Press Foundation, Public Citizen, Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, Demand Progress, and American Governance Institute.
A one-page summary of the bill ishere. The text of the bill ishere.