(CNN) — ” [Judge Peter] Messitte also notes that one of Trump’s argument in the case, that only Congress can approve or bar the president from receiving emoluments, is “particularly concerning,” because Congress can be controlled by the same party as the president and choose to do nothing.”
A federal judge said Wednesday that a lawsuit alleging foreign gifts made to President Donald Trump may be illegal can proceed.
But the ruling from Judge Peter Messitte of the US District Court of Maryland says the Maryland and District of Columbia attorneys general who brought the case will have to focus it on the Trump Organization’s operations in Washington. That means the case going forward will challenge payments made by foreign officials for services at the Trump International Hotel, but will not include visits to Mar-a-Lago in Florida or other Trump properties.
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.
Click to continue reading. By Katelyn Polantz, CNN – Mar 28, 2018