Officials in D.C. and Md. file lawsuit against president

The attorneys general in the nation’s capital and Maryland filed a lawsuit Monday against President Trump, arguing he is violating anti-corruption clauses in the Constitution by allowing his businesses to accept payments from foreign governments and other government entities.

But it’s far from clear whether the lawsuit has any chance of success in the federal courts. It rests on the “Emoluments Clause,” an 18th century provision in the Constitution that was aimed at keeping European royalty from corrupting American ambassadors with expensive gifts.

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh and Washington Attorney General Karl Racine, both Democrats, said Trump’s decision to retain ownership of his real-estate empire has left the president “deeply enmeshed with a legion of foreign and domestic actors” and violates that clause, interpreted by many as requiring congressional approval before a U.S. official can accept payments or gifts from foreign officials.

Trump’s lawyers and the Department of Justice maintain that market-rate payments for goods and services at Trump’s hotels, golf courses and the other businesses are not “emoluments.”

Lindsay Jancek of the Republican National Committee called the lawsuit “absurd.”

“The actions of the attorneys general represent the kind of partisan grandstanding voters across the country have come to despise,” Jancek said.