Tag: emoluments lawsuit

Lawsuit on Trump Emoluments Violations Gains Traction in Court

The following article by Sharon LaFraniere was posted on the New York Times website January 25, 2018:

Trump International Hotel in Washington. “The argument is that as president he is unduly attracting business,” the judge said of President Trump. “There is some evidence of that.” Credit Alex Brandon/Associated Press

GREENBELT, Md. — A closely watched lawsuit claiming that President Trump is violating the Constitution by failing to divorce himself from his businesses appeared to inch forward on Thursday during a lengthy hearing before a federal judge in Maryland.

Judge Peter J. Messitte voiced skepticism about the Justice Department’s arguments that he should dismiss the lawsuit, filed last year by the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland, on the grounds that Mr. Trump’s continued ownership of his businesses was a political issue, not a legal one.

Although the president’s lawyers persuaded Judge George B. Daniels of the United States District Court in Manhattan to throw out a similar lawsuit last month, Judge Messitte made clear that he was not bound by that ruling. Continue reading “Lawsuit on Trump Emoluments Violations Gains Traction in Court”

Congressional Democrats to file emoluments lawsuit against Trump

The following article by Tom Hamburger and Karen Tumulty was posted on the Washington Post website June 14, 2017:

Nearly 200 Democratic members of Congress agreed to file a lawsuit Wednesday against President Trump alleging that by retaining interests in a global business empire he has violated constitutional restrictions on taking gifts and benefits from foreign leaders.

The lead senator filing the complaint in federal district court, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), said Tuesday that the lawsuit has already drawn more congressional plaintiffs — 196 — than any legal action previously taken against a president. No Republicans had joined in the lawsuit so far, although they will be invited to do so, Blumenthal said. Continue reading “Congressional Democrats to file emoluments lawsuit against Trump”