President Trump is being sued by Maryland and the District of Columbia for violating the Constitution's anti-corruption law. The lawsuit was filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a bipartisan group in Washington D.C. The lawsuit says that Trump is accepting money from foreign governments when diplomats and others stay at his hotel. Also, when foreign countries have their officials stay at the Trump hotel in Washington, it harms other local businesses. Listen to hear more about this clause in the Constitution and the lawsuit that was filed.
Story Length: 5:23
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AIR DATE: 06/13/2017
May 3, 2017
5:06
President Donald Trump has reached 100 days in office, and he is beginning to feel the pressure to make good on his campaign promises. President Trump has promised to unveil a “phenomenal” tax reform, and as a result, investors are cautious as they wait to see if the tax reform is passed. Many are also curious about the federal budget and concerned about some of Trump’s plans, such as cutting federal aid. Listen to learn more about President Trump’s economic policies in his first 100 days.
Read MoreDecember 22, 2016
3:18
Lawmakers in South Korean voted 234-56 recently to impeach President Park Geun-hye. A constitutional court will now decide whether to remove her from office because of her involvement in a corruption scandal. In South Korea there have been protests of Park’s leadership, with over 2 million people calling for her impeachment. President Park’s power as president is temporarily removed as the court makes its decision. Listen to hear more about the ongoing political events in South Korea.
Read MoreNovember 28, 2016
3:57
The U.S. federal anti-nepotism law prevents a public official from appointing a relative to a position in their agency. It was made a law in 1967 after President John F. Kennedy nominated his brother as Attorney General. It is also used to prevent congressmen from hiring their wives to work in their offices. President-elect Donald Trump has relied on his son-in-law as a key adviser during his campaign. If his son-in-law were given a job in the White House, it would raise legal questions around nepotism. Listen to learn more about nepotism laws in the U.S.
Read MoreDecember 18, 2015
3:32
Campaign contributions come in from many sources. There are limits to the amount of money a campaign committee can contribute to support a candidate, but there are no limits on how much money a Super PAC can contribute. Republican Senator Mitch McConnell would like to change the campaign finance law. These laws were put into place to prevent corruption, but both Republicans and Democrats have been working to dismantle campaign finance limits. Listen to this story with your students and debate this question: Should we set limits on campaign contributions?
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