President Donald Trump's listening to foreign dirt on a political opponent – and not reporting it – is currently a mere matter of ethics, but Democrats are seeking to make it against the law.
Lamenting President Donald Trump not knowing "right from wrong" in saying he would listen to foreign campaign assistance, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is building a legislative package for "duty to report" foreign election meddling.
"We have a package we are putting forth in light of the Mueller report – a package of legislation: 'duty to report,'" Speaker Pelosi told reporters Thursday.
"If someone comes to you, mandating a campaign report foreign offers of assistance. I shouldn't even – it's so self-evident as a matter of ethics, but we'll have to codify it, mandating a duty to report, campaigns reporting foreign interventions in our elections."
The legislation also includes the piece of the elections security bill, require paper ballots to back up electronic ones, "closing foreign money loopholes," and preventing foreign disinformation.
"That is just a sample of some of the things that will be out there," she said.
President Trump told ABC News if a foreign power were offering dirt on his 2020 opponent, he would be open to accepting it and would merely consider whether to inform the FBI.
"I think I'd want to hear it," President Trump told ABC News. "There's nothing wrong with listening."
Speaker Pelosi told reporters in her weekly legislative briefing "everybody in the country should be totally appalled" by the president's remarks.
"It's a very sad thing, a very sad thing that he does not know right from wrong," the speaker said.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.