Federal Judge Allows Democratic Lawsuit Against Trump To Proceed

(Washington, DC-AP) — A federal judge is denying a request by the Justice Department to dismiss a lawsuit alleging President Trump is improperly accepting payments from foreign governments while serving in the White House. U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan issued a 48-page ruling that accepts a broad definition of the Constitution’s “emoluments” clause.

The lawsuit was filed by 200 Democrats and claims foreign governments are staying at Trump International Hotel for the purpose of earning favor with Trump by helping him profit financially.

The emoluments clause forbids any person holding public office from accepting presents of any kind from a foreign state unless Congress has given its approval. In his ruling, Sullivan wrote that the Justice Department’s argument ignores the definition of the term set in a vast majority of dictionaries used by the Founding Fathers.

Judge Refuses To Toss Lawsuit Accusing Trump Of Violating Constitution

(Greenbelt, MD) – A federal judge is refusing to toss a lawsuit that accuses President Trump of violating the Constitution by maintaining ownership of his businesses.

The judge rejected a Justice Department request to toss the suit, but the judge narrowed it so that it only includes the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC and not Trump’s other businesses.

The lawsuit says that by not cutting ties with his business, Trump is violating the “emoluments” clause of the Constitution that prevents officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments. A judge in New York dismissed a similar lawsuit last year.