Hold presidents accountable and prevent another Trump

On Monday, the Electoral College cast their votes for President of the United States. Joseph R. Biden was elected the 46th President of the United States with 306 electoral votes compared to Donald J. Trump’s 232.

As we move on from the Trump era, we must prevent any future president — Republican or Democrat — from using their tremendous power for personal profit, to put themselves above the law or to weaken our democracy. Our laws should reflect the high expectations we have for the leader of the most powerful democracy in the world.

Every president since Jimmy Carter has voluntarily released their tax returns to the American people — until Donald Trump. Hiding this information simply shouldn’t be an option. Every candidate for president and vice president should be required by law to publicly release their tax returns to prove to the American people that they play by the same rules as everybody else.

If, for example, a billionaire president turns out to have paid only $750 in federal taxes in a particular year, the American people should know so that they have the opportunity to demand an explanation — one that doesn’t involve manipulating the value of assets and losses.

Presidents have also complied with conflict-of-interest laws as a matter of tradition. Even though the president and vice president are exempt under current law, the Office of Government Ethics advises that “the President and the Vice President should conduct themselves as if they were so bound” by the legal obligations that apply to other federal employees.

Unlike his predecessors from the past 40 years, President Trump rejected the advice of the ethics office. As president-elect, Trump claimed that he turned over “complete and total control” of his businesses to his sons, but then quickly amended the trust to give himself access to funds from his businesses whenever he wants.

With total access to his companies’ profits, Donald Trump has personally benefited from at least $2.5 million taxpayer dollars spent at his business through nearly 300 U.S. government visits, more than $24 million from spending by friendly political committees for events and hotel stays, and more than 150 visits from foreign officials at his properties since he entered the 2016 race.

The President of the United States must put the people’s interest ahead of his own financial interest. To guarantee that, the president should be bound by ethics laws and should be required to divest assets that could create a conflict of interest. Americans expect our president to avoid self-dealing, political corruption and constitutional violations; our laws should require it.

President Trump has also abused his clemency powers. The framers of the constitution gave presidents the power to remedy injustice and balance the powers of the legislature and judiciary, not to lift the president above the law. President Trump has used his power to grant pardons and commutations for political allies like Roger Stone and Michael Flynn in cases that directly involve the president himself.

While the constitution grants the power to pardon, Congress should make clear that no president may offer pardons to cover up his own illegal conduct and should outlaw self-pardons.

Finally, we must guard against any future president’s attempts to undermine our elections with false and dangerous claims of election fraud. Since Election Day, Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed — without evidence — that he won the election if not for fraud. Trump’s claims, and the accompanying lawsuits, are filled with lies and disinformation. State and federal courts have rejected at least 50 of these lawsuits.

Contrary to Trump’s disinformation campaign, the 2020 elections ran smoothly and securely even as the country was in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Setting clear national standards that make it easier to register, vote early, vote by mail and have a transparent and secure vote count will prevent future presidents from making similarly baseless claims and give voters confidence that their voices are heard. Two-thirds of the eligible population voted in 2020, a higher turnout than any election since 1908. We can do more to build on that historic level of participation through reforms that will also protect our democracy from conspiracy theories espoused by losing candidates.

Congress must work with the incoming Biden administration to put the highest standards of ethics and transparency for the president into law. We must hold accountable every president and protect the integrity of our elections from disinformation. Now is the time to ensure that the corruption in our recent past never becomes precedent for abuse of presidential power in the future.

Ted Deutch is the member of Congress for the 22nd District, which includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. He chairs the House Ethics Committee.

Massive fraud!

There’s been some voter fraud in Palm Beach. Not “massive,” but important nonetheless.

A businessman purchased a large land parcel on A1A including a mansion, beach front and extra amenities.

Some years later, he applied for a zoning change to convert the whole of the purchase into a private club. The residents of Palm Beach objected, but a compromise was reached whereby the owner agreed that no one would live at the club for more than 21 consecutive days.

This year, the owner declared that he was moving out of his legal residence in New York to make this property in Florida his home and legal residence.

He voted in the last election knowing that, to be a legal resident, he would have to live at the mansion in Florida for at least six months, which his agreement prohibits. Also, he hasn’t stayed here for six months.

So, Mr. Trump, your Palm Beach neighbors are reminding you that they want you to honor your word and the law. You cannot reside at Mar-a-Lago.

And, just to be a prig, I’d prefer you be prosecuted for lying to Palm Beach County poll workers to get a local ballot and vote here in Florida last month.

Like I said, fraud.

Is this worth a grin, or what?

Delray Beach

Please do not kick the gun-sniffing dogs

I was horrified and disgusted by the quote attributed to Rosalind Osgood, the chairwoman of the Broward County School Board regarding the use of a highly trained dog to detect guns and ammunition on school campuses [“Gun-sniffing dog approved for some Broward schools,” Dec. 15]: “I can tell you if I’m in a school and this dog comes near me, I’m going to start kicking it.” Is this an appropriate signal to send to students — kick a dog that is being employed to enhance the safety of the schools? I would hope that the Humane Society of Broward County and similar organizations express their condemnation of this atrocious statement. We don’t want to see any such dog harmed in a school by a student following Osgood’s outrageous recommendation as quoted.

Boca Raton

Seriously, who kicks a dog unless it’s attacking you?

The safety of our children in our schools is a priority, so gun-sniffing police dogs were approved to be used in some Broward County schools. This is an excellent idea that can save lives. But now that idea is facing resistance from school board member Rosalind Osgood and General Counsel Barbara Myrick. Osgood stated that police dogs have a history of being used against Black students and that if one of those dogs comes near her, she will kick it. I guess she dosen’t know that the dogs don’t differentiate between Black and white. Are these people crazy? Police dogs in schools sniffing out weapons and drugs are a necessity in this day and age. You want to save lives, allow them in our schools.

Sunrise