A federal judge ruled that a lawsuit from congressional Democrats alleging President Trump's private businesses violate the Constitution’s emoluments clause can move forward, The Washington Post reports. The Justice Department was attempting to dismiss the case, but U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan ruled that Democrats had the right to sue Trump over his alleged violation of “gifts or payments from foreign governments” he had received through a number of his businesses. Judge Sullivan specifically noted that Trump had received hotel-related payments from foreign governments, licensing fees from foreign governments for his reality show The Apprentice, and intellectual property rights from China. This case is one of two cases involving Trump's alleged emoluments violations, with the other lawsuit—brought by the D.C. and Maryland attorneys general—stalled after DOJ lawyers blocked subpoenas for financial records from Trump's D.C. hotel.
