Donald Trump moonlighting lawsuit moves forward
As Donald Trump’s lawyers are jumping ship and having their law offices raided, U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte of Maryland has rolled out the red carpet to allow a Federal case against Trump to go forward and denied “President” Donald Trump’s attempt o dismiss a constitutional challenge to Trump’s decision to moonlight as President of the United States while Trump Inc. cashes in bigly.
Donald J. Trump says he gave up control of his beloved Trump Organization to two of his children, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump, and he claims they never speak to him about the business, right after he hit the jackpot and “won” the Presidency. But the “President” didn’t divest from his oversight of the Trump International Hotel, located in Washington D.C. which opened in October 2016.
The Attorney General for the District of Columbia and the one for Maryland both argued that Donald Trump’s involvement””unfairly skewed the hospitality market to disfavor local businesses as well as venues that Maryland and DC had a stake in. They cited examples of US and foreign officials patronizing the hotel and its restaurant while also engaging with the administration.” U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte ruled that “the Attorneys General of the District of Columbia and Maryland do have standing to pursue claims that Trump’s ongoing financial ties to the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, violate the Foreign and Domestic Emoluments clauses of the US Constitution.”
Messitte added, “although there are limits on states’ ability to bring suits on behalf of their citizens — known as “parens patriae” actions — against the president in his official capacity, these claims could go forward because the case involved conduct outside of Trump’s ‘official duties.'” There have been two other attempts to hold Trump accountable for moonlighting as “President” of the United States and this one has been the only one so far to have enough merit to move forward during a time when Trump is short a few lawyers and reputable law offices are refusing to play in his swamp.
Virginia is a lifelong contributor to and supporter of the First Amendment.