Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh and Washington Attorney General Karl Racine, both Democrats, said in a statement that they will announce a "major lawsuit" Monday against Trump.
The legal action centers on Trump's decision to retain ownership of his real-estate and branding empire. The lawsuit alleges his continued ownership has left the president "deeply enmeshed with a legion of foreign and domestic actors" and violates the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which bars federal officials from accepting payments from foreign interests without congressional approval.
Trump's lawyers maintain that market-rate payments for goods and services at Trump's hotels, golf courses and other businesses are not "emoluments" as defined by the Constitution.
Trump's adults sons now oversee the businesses. They pledged to pursue no new foreign deals during Trump's presidency but have traveled the globe — from Dubai to the Dominican Republic — to work on projects conceived before their father took office. They also have planned new businesses in the United States. Last week, the Trump Organization, for instance, announced a new mid-scale hotel brand.
Newly filed lobbying disclosures show the Saudi government recently spent about $270,000 at the Trump International Hotel in Washington as part of a larger lobbying campaign to ease a U.S. terrorism law. A Trump official said the company would donate profits from the Saudi payments to the U.S. Treasury.
USA TODAY
D.C., Maryland Attorneys General to file lawsuit against President Trump
Reviewed by Debo Olowu
on
June 12, 2017
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Reviewed by Debo Olowu
on
June 12, 2017
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