Elijah Cummings dismissed the notion that Trump will set up a blind trust for his business empire. | Getty Cummings asks House Oversight Committee to review Trump's financial arrangements

Elijah Cummings on Monday filed a letter asking for the House Oversight Committee to swiftly review Donald Trump’s “financial arrangements” for potential conflicts of interest before he’s sworn in as president.

The Maryland Democrat’s letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) asks that the 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 conflicts 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 financial entanglements and his widespread business interests around the globe,” Cummings wrote, noting Trump’s refusal to disclose his tax returns. “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.”

Cummings dismissed the notion that Trump will set up a blind trust for his business empire, considering the president-elect has said his children — who were active in his campaign and named to his transition team’s executive committee — will take over, not an independent person.

“This is certainly not a ‘blind trust,’” he said.

Cummings highlighted the numerous investigations Congress has launched against President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton throughout Obama’s administration, some of which he said “have been used for partisan political purposes,” citing House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s admission in reference to the Benghazi Committee, and called on the GOP-led legislative and executive branches “to conduct robust oversight over” the incoming 45th president.

“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 efficiently and combats even the perception of corruption or abuse,” he said.

Cummings, the ranking member on the Oversight Committee, added that there are “several laws” in place to avoid real and perceived financial conflicts of interest that the panel has oversight of.

“For these reasons, I request that the Committee immediately begin a review of these issues and invite appropriate officials designated by Mr. Trump to hear from them directly about their plans,” he said. “It is critical that we conduct this review as soon as possible to ensure that these questions are answered prior to Mr. Trump assuming office.”