C-10-3 Ethics Lawyers to Sue Trump Over Continuing Business Interests
Lawyers plan to sue President Trump in federal court Monday for continuing business and receiving money form foreign governments, which is in violation of the Constitution. The non-profit group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington will file a suit Monday morning in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The suit alleges that Trump violated the Constitution the moment he was sworn in as president because he had not divested his interests in the Trump Organization. Among the allegations is leases held by foreign government-owned entities in Trump Tower, bookings at Trump International Hotel, and payments from foreign government-owned broadcasters related to "The Apprentice" and other transactions and leases at a broad array of other establishments owned or licensed by Trump. Sherri Dillon, a prominent D.C lawyers who has represented Trump as a tax counsel since 2005 said at a news conference on January 11 that "no one would have thought when the Constitution was written that paying your hotel bill was an emolument." But Trump "wants to do more than what the Constitution requires. He'll voluntarily donate all profits from foreign government payments made to his hotel to the United States Treasury. This way it is the American people who will profit." But the lawsuit alleges that's the problem. If there are foreign government profits at stake, the president can't legally accept them in the first place. Ultimately, it is up to a federal judge whether the case goes forward. The first problem the CREW is facing is winning standing to bring the case to court.
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