Thursday, June 15, 2017
Associated Press
WASHINGTON
Democratic lawmakers are suing President Donald Trump over foreign money flowing into his global business empire.
Almost 200 senators and representatives are plaintiffs in a lawsuit alleging Trump is violating the so-called emoluments clause of the Constitution. The plaintiffs argue they have standing to sue because the clause says only Congress may approve foreign gifts and payments.
“The framers gave Congress a unique role, a unique right and responsibility,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who helped organize the lawsuit.
Although Trump turned over control of his real-estate development, management and marketing company to his adult sons and a senior executive, he did not divest from it. That means he stands to benefit financially from the Trump Organization’s profits, including from foreign governments.
Since he’s become president, the Trump Organization has secured dozens of potentially valuable patents, including in China, and collected fees from lobbyists working for Saudi Arabia and other countries using his properties.
The new suit – the third of its kind – says the full scope of foreign payments to the Trump Organization cannot be known because the president has not made public his tax returns.
Earlier this week, two Democratic attorneys general filed a similar claim.