A federal court rejected a lawsuit filed by congressional Democrats alleging President Trump violated the Constitution by profiting off the presidency.
On Friday, a three-judge panel on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals tossed out the suit filed in 2017 by Democrats who cited the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which is intended to shield American presidents from “corrupting foreign influences.”
Democrats could appeal to the Supreme Court or seek a review by the full bench of the appeals court but are more likely to focus their attention on similar suits against Trump in other districts. Other federal court districts considering similar lawsuits include the Richmond-based 4th Circuit and New York-based 2nd Circuit, according to Politico.
In making their case against Trump, Democrats pointed to high-profile guests staying at his luxury hotel just blocks from the White House and other business properties.
“Only an institution can assert an institutional injury,” the court said in its opinion to dismiss the case, claiming that individual members of Congress cannot represent the legislative body as a whole.
Trump has downplayed the emoluments clause of the Constitution, calling it “phony” and suggesting former President Barack Obama profited of the presidency.
