The Truman Show: The Fraudulent Origins of the Former Presidents Act

When President Donald Trump was impeached for a second time, many commenters pointed out that, if were to be convicted by the Senate, he would likely lose millions of dollars in future taxpayer-funded benefits. These benefits are provided ex-presidents Former Presidents Act, 1958 statute considerable political significance and ongoing controversy, that nevertheless has this point been ignored completely legal academic literature. This Article represents first sustained discussion FPA literature. It concludes should revoked — it centers its critique on law’s until-now unrevealed fraudulent origins. Essentially only argument ever put forward either scholarly or popular discourse justify existence is passed as response former Harry Truman’s financial struggles, particular because refused exploit his status president ameliorate them. Using recently released until now unexamined archival evidence, demonstrates complete contravention existing standard historical record, Truman was, direct result being president, very wealthy man day left White House, with an estimated net worth, relative economic terms, approximately $58 million 2021 dollars. The reveals wealth both enormous presidential salary several times larger, real than current office and, more problematically, evident fact misappropriated essentially all multi-million dollar terms expense account set up him Congress at beginning term. The also again contrary understanding, made another fortune after presidency, doing precisely what claimed not doing, is, exploiting maximum advantage. Indeed, time various claims least teetering brink potential distress, worth $72 dollars. In precise inversion meaning ascribed narrative, actual biography illustrates exactly why Act always bad law, never had any reasonable justification public policy.