Appeals Court Sides With Trump, Throws Out D.C. Hotel ‘Emoluments’ Lawsuit
NO VACANCY
A federal appeals court on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit from the attorneys general of Maryland and the District of Columbia claiming the president is illegally profiting from foreign and state government visitors at his Washington, D.C., hotel. The unanimous decision is a victory for Trump, but is not the end of his mounting legal troubles. The president is facing several lawsuits, including a separate lawsuit from congressional Democrats who also claim that Trump is doing business with foreign governments through his hotels. The legal challenges against Trump are novel, as no other sitting president has ever been sued for violating the emoluments clause. The clause of the U.S. Constitution was designed to prevent government officials from falling under the influence of foreign entities or governments.
“Today’s pair of decisions by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals is a complete victory,” Trump’s personal attorney, Jay Sekulow, said. “The decision states that there was no legal standing to bring this lawsuit in the first place. This latest effort at Presidential harassment has been dismissed with prejudice.”