UPDATED TOPIC: Misuse of Presidential Seal (Golf Course Tee Markers) and On Other Products

Table with the manufactured presidential seal: Trump Golf Course 

Tee Markers from Eagle Sign: the manufacturer 

(Photo provided to ProPublica by source)

This update comes from three well-written and researched sources and relate to the original story that follows below:

One story is from October 2016 (just before the election of Trump); from April 2017, and then the other story from August 2017 – and they all lead to and tie in to this story and this update from various points of view.

Now this update is from March 8, 2018. The summary of the article is presented in easy-to-follow legal terms re: The use of the Presidential seal for financial gain.

Summary’s Key Part: Previous presidents, including Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan, all had items such as golf balls and sets of China made that featured the presidential seal, but they were for personal use or to give out as gifts, not commercial marketing.

From this Update – Legal View: Still, legal experts weren’t unanimous in the opinion that the Trump Organization’s use of the seal was against the law. Yale law professor Stephen L. Carter wrote that although the commercial appropriation of the symbol can be criticized as “tacky,” it doesn’t rise to the level of a crime, then he summarized it this way (my emphasis added):

“The statute regulating (not “barring” or “prohibiting”) use of the presidential seal is drafted with care. Under Section 713, one commits a crime only by displaying the seal in a manner reasonably calculated to convey, a false impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States or by any department, agency, or instrumentality thereof. This language, borrowed from the law of unfair competition, is narrowly drafted to avoid trampling on First Amendment rights. Displaying a likeness of the seal is prohibited only when the use will create that false impression of sponsorship or approval — what courts in other contexts call confusion as to source.”

Carter further observed: “The federal statute is constitutional only so long as we read it to ban uses of the seal that are either deceptive or misleading, and nothing else.” Thus he was noting that any number of items bearing the seal can be purchased (and legally so) on Amazon.com” and then he concluded: “What the Trump Organization is doing, or what Amazon is doing, or what a publisher touting a book is doing, involves uses that are neither deceptive nor misleading.”

The Update Summary: So, the extent to which expert opinions differ on this is probably best reflected in the fact that Trump International announced the removal of the markers within days of their legality being questioned.

My Conclusion: The Trump organization knew they had been wrong, then they got caught (thinking they would not), and now have backed down or in this case backed out of the slick marketing strategy deal – for surely that is how any average person would view it.

This is the pattern we continue to see in this administration: (1) Do something illegal or highly unethical (or both); (2) always ensure it is connected to or about “Trump Empire, Inc.” or the Trump name at all times; (3) hope they are not to be caught; but, (4) if and when they are, start with the diversion and deflection – the excuses, lies and always skirt around the basic issue with fancy PR statements. 

Then they simply and basically duck and dodge and deny and ignore the truth and facts with more name-calling like “Fake News” or “Hoax” or “Witch Hunt,” etc.

That in and of itself is both clever and heart and soul of their “Art of the Con,” or “Art of the Don” perhaps sounds more apropos in recent cases of murkiness.

This example of the Trump golf course Tee markers and presidential seal is only one more example among thousands of other shenanigan example from and by this family and all for their own personal and private financial gain and not much else.

It is for sure they are not deeply concerned for or about the country and national welfare and good of the whole that is except in their flowery speeches and political sound bites to gain favor and stay in power as they continue projecting a false image of concern and caring when in fact all they care about is more for themselves and the Trump name.

All of it – all of their actions to date and let’s face it, the list is long whether it’s trying to sell visas in China for loans for Kushner property debt, or seeing White House officials praising and hawking Ivanka Trump’s line of jewelry on national TV like Kellyanne Conway did, or routine and the same asinine statements from press secretary Sanders trying to cover for all the Trump faux pas.

The B/L if there is even a bottom line: This is all about image and concern for the Trump family/Empire, Inc. wallets, bank accounts, and their economic bottom line that has plenty of smoke and mirrors on a grand scale with tons of false actions about “serving the public.” 

This one story of tee markers may seem minor and quickly pass as it did, but the underlining cause is still there: The Trump greed. 

Hopefully S/C Robert Mueller help solve it and get to the bottom of this scummy barrel for the sake of the entire country.

Thanks for stopping by.

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ORIGINAL POST STARTS HERE:

Call this the Trump Golf Course Tee Marker-gate: 

Well, well, more abuse of power and using official office for personal gain – in layman terms or in legal parlance is called: Corruption.

This example case comes from this story from ProPublica and it involves the Office of the President of the United States – wow – but what the heck – nothing new about that, right? Call it: Trump Empire, Inc. strikes again…!!!

What we have seen since day-one actually is SOP for this family.

Now this latest Mr. Trump and his golf club tee makers with the presidential seal.

Add that to the Jared Kushner bank loan deal and the $500 million loan he got from two banks (see story at blog post here) and after meeting with them the White House. 

So what’s next Ivanka’s gift shop to open in the hallway next to the Oval office?

Synopsis of this golf tee marker/presidential seal misuse story:

Eagle Sign makes a wide array of tee markers out of bronze and aluminum, and has made other signs for Trump’s courses, according to its website. At some of Trump’s golf courses, tee markers have sported the Trump family crest, which he took from the family that originally owned Mar-a-Lago without permission and then altered by adding his own name.

Ethics experts have long been on the lookout for signs that the Trump Organization would exploit the office of the presidency for commercial gain. Several said that using the presidential seal on the company’s golf courses would fall into this category.

A law governs (here cited from Cornell Law) says the manufacture or use of the seal, its likeness, “or any facsimile thereof” for anything other than official U.S. government business. It can be a criminal offense punishable by up to six months in prison. 

Law introduction: (a) Whoever knowingly displays any printed or other likeness of the great seal of the United States, or of the seals of the President or the Vice President of the United States, or the seal of the United States Senate, or the seal of the United States House of Representatives, or the seal of the United States Congress, or any facsimile thereof, in, or in connection with, any advertisement, poster, circular, book, pamphlet, or other publication, public meeting, play, motion picture, telecast, or other production, or on any building, monument, or stationery, for the purpose of conveying, or in a manner reasonably calculated to convey, a false impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States or by any department, agency, or instrumentality thereof, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

My 2 cents: So, who gets prosecuted for this? Trump; doubtful, Kushner; nope he probably doesn’t even play golf; Invanka; um, nope, too busy with her jewelry marketing; Huckabee-Sanders if she lies about it at the next PR show.

We hold our breath to see the outcome … it outta be a hoot.

P. S. Imagine if the tee markers were up just how fast they would be stolen for souvenirs – just a thought.

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