Reading Room Document

Special Government Employee Serving as Paid Consultant to Saudi Company

A special government employee, retained to provide advice on behalf of the Department of Commerce to Middle Eastern countries that are reforming and harmonizing their laws, may accept a paid consulting position with a Saudi energy company without violating the Emoluments Clause, U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 8, because he does not hold an "Office of Profit or Trust under" the United States. The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/olc/file/2016-01-13-kacare-emols/download.

January 13, 2016