Federal Judge Authorizes Discovery In Trump Emoluments Case



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Trump's legal team had sought to delay the delivery of the documents while appealing the decision to allow other parties to the lawsuit. However, Friday's decision, made by US District Judge Peter Messitte, now paves the way for discovery to advance the commercial relationship between the Trump Hotel and foreign dignitaries.

The case was brought by the governments of Washington, DC and Maryland and says the president has not complied with the fee clause through the Trump International Hotel.

Maryland and DC have stated that the Trump International Hotel's activities put the hotel and entertainment venues nearby at a competitive disadvantage, and that the Trump Hotel has special tax breaks for this hotel, which was awarded a lease on a property. federal property prior to Trump's election.

"As a result, the president's involvement in the Trump International Hotel and the fact that he seems to have perceived benefits from at least some foreign and national governments, as well as the federal government itself, suggest that he received "emoluments" in violation of the Constitution, giving rise to plausible causes of action against him brought by parties with standing, "said Friday's notice .

An attorney from the Trump organization declined to comment. The White House did not immediately postpone CNN's comment request.

The Attorney General of Maryland, Brian Frosh, issued a statement Friday declaring that the decision "again confirms that Maryland and the District of Columbia have the right to sue, the court emphasizing that the definition proposed by the President of the term "emolument" is "extremely tense." prohibit only "what amounts to a bribe."

"We agree with the court that the president's motion was nothing other than an attempt to delay the final settlement of our trial, a tactic that the court said "for reasons of justice, can not be held responsible," the statement said.

In July, Messitte ruled against Trump's legal team's request to reject parts of the lawsuit and largely agreed with the definition of "emolument" given by Maryland and DC as a "benefit".

Messitte's decision in July proposed the term "emolument" as forbidding the President to receive "nothing more than a profit, a gain or a de minimis advantage" in his private capacity, which he took over. in Friday's opinion and referring to the foreign clause and the national clause in the US Constitution.

Laura Jarrett, Cristina Alesci and Maegan Vazquez from CNN contributed to this report.

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