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Judge dismisses foreign payments suit against Trump
WASHINGTON, Dec 22, 2017 (BSS/AFP) – A US judge on Thursday dismissed a
lawsuit against President Donald Trump that alleged he had violated the
Constitution by receiving foreign payments through his businesses while in
office.
The dismissal is a victory for Trump, but because Judge George Daniels
ruled the plaintiffs lacked standing, the underlying merits of the case were
not addressed.
The plaintiffs alleged that Trump’s “‘vast, complicated, and secret’
business interests are creating conflicts of interest and have resulted in
unprecedented government influence in violation of the Domestic and Foreign
Emoluments Clauses,” Daniels wrote in his order to dismiss the case.
The Emoluments Clause — which is effectively an anti-bribery measure —
bars officials from receiving “any present, emolument, office, or title, of
any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state” while in office
without Congressional approval.
“This case involves a conflict between Congress and the president in which
this court should not interfere unless and until Congress has asserted its
authority,” according to Daniels’ ruling.
BSS/AFP/MR/ 1016hrs