JASON CHAFFETZ. UTAH ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS. MARYLAND

CHAIRMAN RANKING MINORITY MEMBER

Qtungreas at the ??niteh ?tatea

?01152 at i?epreaentatihea
COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM

2157 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING

WASHINGTON, DC 20515?6143

MAJOHIIY 
(202)225-5051

hItpva?oversight.honsegov

November 14, 2016

The Honorable Jason Chaffetz

Chairman

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
US. House of Representatives

Washington, DC. 20515

Dear Mr. Chairman:

I am writing to request that the Oversight Committee immediately begin conducting a
review of President?elect Donald Trump?s financial arrangements to ensure that he does not have
any actual or perceived con?icts of interest and that he and his advisors comply with all legal
and regulatory ethical requirements when he assumes the presidency.

We have never had a president like Mr. Trump in terms of his vast ?nancial
entanglements and his widespread business interests around the globe. Moreover, we have not
had a presidential candidate in modern times who has refused to disclose his tax returns to the
American people. Mr. Trump?s unprecedented secrecy and his extensive business dealings in
foreign countries raise serious questions about how he intends to avoid conflicts of interest as
president.

Press reports indicate that Mr. Trump will be relying heavily on his children to operate
his financial empire, but these same individuals have played a signi?cant role in his presidential
campaign and continue to advise Mr. Trump on his transition team. This is certainly not a ?blind
trust.?1

Congress has put in place several laws to avoid financial conflicts of intei?estuboth
actual and perceived. The Oversight Committee has direct jurisdiction over these ?nancial
interest laws and the White House.

For these reasons, I request that the Committee immediately begin a review of these
issues and invite appropriate of?cials designated by Mr. Trump to hear from them directly about

 

I See, ag, Giuliani Explains Why Trump Can ?1 Do a Real Blind Trust: It ?Would
Basically Put His Children Out of Work?, Washington Post (Nov. 14, 2016) (online at
1/ 


The Honorable Jason Chaffetz
Page 2

their plans. It is critical that we conduct this review as soon as possible to ensure that these
questions are answered prior to Mr. Trump assuming of?ce.

For the past six years, you and other Republicans in Congress have launched numerous
investigations against President Obama and Secretary Clinton, and some of these have been used
for partisan political purposes, as Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy admitted regarding the
Benghazi Committee.

Now that Republicans control the White House and Congress, it is incumbent on you and
other Republicans to conduct robust oversight over Mr. Trump?not for partisan reasons, but to
ensure that our government Operates effectively and ef?ciently and combats even the perception
of corruption or abuse.

Sincerely,

  

Elijah mmings
Ranking Member