Trump Responds to 'Emoluments' Case Against Him

President asks judge to toss case brought by attorneys general
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Sep 30, 2017 4:04 PM CDT
Trump Asks Judge to Dismiss 'Emoluments' Case Against Him
President Donald Trump pauses while speaking to the media as he walks to Marine One as he departs the White House, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Trump asked a judge on Friday to throw out a lawsuit alleging he is violating the Constitution by using his office to profit from his hotels and other properties, the AP reports. Trump is arguing that the attorneys general of Maryland and DC do not have standing to bring the lawsuit because they have not shown they have suffered from the president's actions, among other reasons. The motion to dismiss is Trump's first response to the lawsuit. The attorneys general filed the lawsuit in June alleging Trump was violating the emoluments clauses of the Constitution that generally prohibits presidents from receiving payments from foreign and domestic governments. It is one of several filed against Trump that cite the clauses.

Government ethics lawyers have widely condemned Trump for holding onto his vast business empire after taking office. They argue that gives plenty of opportunity for people who want to influence US policy to curry favor with the president. In the motion to dismiss, Trump and his lawyers said the Maryland Attorney General's argument that business in his state will get hurt by Trump's DC hotel is too "speculative," among other faults. In response to similar lawsuits, Trump and his lawyers have also argued that critics are misinterpreting the emoluments clauses. They say that the framers of the Constitution did not intend for them to cover fair-value transactions between a business and its customers, such as offering a hotel room for the night for payment. Since inauguration, the Trump International Hotel in DC has hosted parties by foreign embassies and become a favorite gathering spot for lobbyists. (More Donald Trump stories.)

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