Judge Allows Emoluments Lawsuit Against Trump To Move Forward

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WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 26: An exterior view of the entrance to the new Trump International Hotel at the old post office on October 26, 2016 in Washington, D.C. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will attend the hotel's grand opening. (Photo by Gabriella Demczuk/Getty Images)

More information on the lawsuit as of 5:30PM EST:

CNN reportsMaryland 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.”

According to Slate, Trump’s association with his hotels and the patronage of state and foreign officials creates a conflict of interest. The court fiercely counters the DOJ’s argument that Congress is responsible for solving emolument issues, not the courts.

In an email to BuzzFeed News, Kerri Kupec, a spokesperson for the Justice Department, reaffirmed the department’s stance. “As we argued, we believe this case should be dismissed, and we will continue to defend the President in court,” Kupec said.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters she “can’t comment on ongoing litigation.”

 

UPDATED 2:21PM EST

Just in: a federal judge has made a ruling that clears the way for President Trump to be sued over receiving improper payments.

We’ll update this post as the story develops: