Fmr. W.H. Ethics Lawyer: Founders Did Not Want Anyone Profiting from Dealings with Foreign Gov’ts

PAINTER: "The Founders were very worried about corruption of our political system by foreign powers. And that's exactly what we are hearing happened this year, over 200 years later. An attempt to corrupt our political system by foreign powers. And the emoluments clause is one solution to that problem. So is the requirement that the president be a natural-born citizen. But much more important is that emoluments clause which prohibits profiteering from deals with foreign governments. ‘Emolumentum,’ the word in Latin, means profit or benefit and it's quite clear that the Founders did not want anyone holding a position of trust with the United States government profiting from dealings with foreign government. And that is what is required. That he not be dealing with foreign governments and making money off of them."