How We Continue to Hold Donald Trump Accountable to the Law
Free Speech For People served at the forefront of the fight to challenge the unprecedented corruption of the White House under former President Donald Trump. The sections below highlight our prior work in this area, including leading the national campaign for the impeachment of Trump, due to his repeated abuses of power; investigating the Trump election campaign for violating campaign finance law; and launching a successful campaign to divest public pension funds from the Trump Soho Hotel in New York City. In addition, we are continuing our campaign to dissolve the Trump organization and pursuing additional legal actions to hold Trump accountable to the law.
To learn more about Free Speech For People’s work to challenge corruption, click here.
The Impeachment Project
On January 20, 2017, Free Speech For People co-launched a campaign calling for an impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump based on his direct and serious violations of the Foreign and Domestic Emoluments Clauses of the Constitution upon taking the oath of office. Donald Trump refused to divest from his business interests all over the world before assuming the presidency, placing himself on a collision course with these two anti-corruption provisions of the Constitution. Since that time, he has been treating the Oval Office as a profit-making enterprise at the public expense, taking illegal payments and benefits from foreign governments, as well as illegal payments and benefits from the federal government and state governments.
Following the launch of this campaign, we repeatedly expanded it as the president committed further multiple abuses of power and abuses of the public trust, including the high crimes he committed in connection with the Ukraine scandal. On February 5, 2020, at the close of the Senate impeachment trial, we issued a statement, with our allies, calling on the US House of Representatives to continue the work of holding the president accountable and to create a new standing committee focused on safeguarding our elections. Click here to read our coalition statement and sign our petition above to join our demands of the House outlined in that statement. Scroll down to learn more about this impeachment campaign and our related projects challenging presidential corruption.
The Constitution Demands It
“We are in the midst of a constitutional crisis. This book lays out the case for impeachment against Donald Trump in stark terms. If you are troubled about Trump’s lawlessness, I think it is your responsibility as a concerned citizen to read this book and to learn how best to protect our democracy.”
– Tom Steyer, founder of Need to Impeach
Investigate the Trump Election Campaign
Free Speech For People is suing the Federal Election Commission for failing to investigate a $150,000 “hush money” payment made in 2016 to Karen McDougal, one of President Trump’s former mistresses, as a potential violation of federal campaign finance law. The investigation is necessary because, even after federal prosecutors have investigated some of the parties involved, critical questions remain unsettled—including the exact nature of President Trump’s role.
Dissolve Trump Inc.
Revoke the corporate charter of the Trump Organization
We’re calling on the New York Attorney General to investigate whether to begin proceedings to revoke the corporate charter of the Trump Organization in New York State. It’s time to put the Trump Organization out of business due to its collusion with the President to violate the Domestic and Foreign Emoluments Clauses of the U.S. Constitution, and its history of alleged illegal, fraudulent, and abusive conduct. We the people have the power to hold The Trump Organization, Inc. accountable for its obligations under New York state law.
Join the campaign to revoke the corporate charter of The Trump Organization!
FEC Complaint
FEC Complaint for Investigation of Coordination between the Russian Government and Trump Campaign
In December 2016, Free Speech For People and the Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint before the Federal Election Commission demanding an immediate investigation into whether the Russian Government illegally spent money to influence the 2016 presidential election, in possible coordination with the Trump campaign. In May 2017, we filed an updated complaint before the FEC based on new evidence. Over 200,000 people across the country have signed onto the campaign in support of the FEC launching an investigation.
Divest Trump Soho
VICTORY in our Divest Trump Soho Campaign
In July 2017, Free Speech For People launched a campaign calling on the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the New York State Comptroller to divest public pension funds from the Trump SoHo Hotel in New York City, as the investment was funneling millions in retiree funds to the Trump Organization in violation of the Domestic Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. Thousands of Californians and New Yorkers joined the Divest Trump SoHo campaign signing petitions, writing letters, and submitting public comments to urge CalPERS’ Board of Directors and the New York State Comptroller to protect beneficiaries from this corruption. After months of pressure, the private equity fund that owns Trump SoHo announced it will buy out the Trump Organization’s contract to market and manage the troubled luxury condo/hotel, breaking a chain of illegal payments from state and local pension funds to the President and securing a victory for the people in the fight against the corruption of our democracy.
Who We Are
Free Speech For People is a catalyzing leader in the country challenging big money in politics and confronting corruption at the highest levels of our government. Founded on the day of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling, we are dedicated to renewing our democracy and our United States Constitution for we the people, not wealthy and corporate interests, through our cutting-edge legal advocacy, public education, and organizing work.
In January 2017, Free Speech For People launched a new and groundbreaking program to challenge the unprecedented corruption of the presidency and the resulting unparalleled threat to our fundamental democratic principles.
Through all of this work, Free Speech For People serves a leading force in the nation defending our Constitution and reclaiming the basic promise of democracy and American self-government: of, by, and for the people.