DC And Maryland Sue Trump Over Emoluments Clause Violations
The attorneys general for the state of Maryland and Washington DC announced Monday that they will be suing Donald Trump over violation of the Constitutions Emoluments Clause.
According to the attorneys general, Trump has violated the anti-corruption clauses by accepting millions of dollars in payments from foreign governments through his businesses.
The Emoluments Clause states that presidents may not accept payments from foreign governments.
Donald Trump already faces a lawsuit from a good government watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, over profits he makes from foreign governments through his businesses.
Trump’s own Department of Justice on Friday asked a court to dismiss the case, saying that the Emoluments Clause does not apply to income Trump receives through his businesses.
The attorneys general argue that Trump is “deeply enmeshed with a legion of foreign and domestic government actors” and has undermined the integrity of the American political system.
“Fundamental to a President’s fidelity to [faithfully execute his oath of office] is the Constitution’s demand that the President … disentangle his private finances from those of domestic and foreign powers. Never before has a President acted with such disregard for this constitutional prescription,” the Washington Post notes.
It was reported last week that Trump’s hotel in Washington, DC has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments from a lobbying effort tied to the government of Saudi Arabia.
