More information on the lawsuit as of 5:30PM EST:
CNN reports ”Maryland and DC have argued that the Trump International Hotel’s operations put other nearby hotel and entertainment properties at a competitive disadvantage, and that the Trump hotel got special tax concessions.”
—
According to Slate, Trump’s association with his hotels and the patronage of state and foreign officials creates a conflict of interest. The court fiercely counters the DOJ’s argument that Congress is responsible for solving emolument issues, not the courts.
—
In an email to BuzzFeed News, Kerri Kupec, a spokesperson for the Justice Department, reaffirmed the department’s stance. “As we argued, we believe this case should be dismissed, and we will continue to defend the President in court,” Kupec said.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters she “can’t comment on ongoing litigation.”
—
UPDATED 2:21PM EST
Just in: a federal judge has made a ruling that clears the way for President Trump to be sued over receiving improper payments.
We’ll update this post as the story develops:
A lawsuit accusing President Trump of taking illegal gifts from foreign governments through his family's business can go forward, judge says https://t.co/HIey1KYndf pic.twitter.com/nJUozxGkBv
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) March 28, 2018
NEW: A federal judge just denied Trump's bid to dismiss the Emoluments Clause case in Maryland — the judge found DC and MD have standing to pursue claims related to the Trump International Hotel in DC (but not Trump Org. activity outside DC) https://t.co/cs9qvCxRpz pic.twitter.com/M7dDlRWin6
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) March 28, 2018