House and Senate Democrats seek Trump financial records in lawsuit
Source: CNN
Democrats from the House and Senate have told a federal judge they'd like to begin pursuing President Donald Trump's personal financial records and corporate records next month as part of a lawsuit over his business properties.
The request has not yet been approved by a judge. But if the timeline is approved, this case would add yet another layer to various pursuits by members of Congress of Trump's financial history.
Democrats claim they did not have the opportunity to consider and approve Trump's business proceeds from foreign governments when he became President. So they want to begin collecting evidence -- both documents and depositions -- from banks, from Trump Organization subsidiaries and from his trust account beginning in late June.
They're specifically seeking information about Trump companies that accept certain benefits from foreign governments, such as through intellectual property and other regulatory approvals, and payments from the governments toward Trump licensing, real estate and hotel rooms, conferences and events.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/28/politics/democrats-trump-financial-records-emoluments/index.html
Here is background on the lawsuit:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congressional-democrats-emoluments-lawsuit-targeting-president-trumps-private-business-can-proceed-judge-says/2019/04/30/ae2ae6be-5b9f-11e9-a00e-050dc7b82693_story.html?utm_term.852d2b0bc833
Democrats in Congress can move ahead with their lawsuit against President Trump alleging that his private business violates the Constitution’s ban on gifts or payments from foreign governments, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
The decision in Washington from U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan adopted a broad definition of the anti-corruption law and could set the stage for Democratic lawmakers to begin seeking information from the Trump Organization. The Justice Department can try to delay or block the process by asking an appeals court to intervene.
In a 48-page opinion, the judge refused the request of the president’s legal team to dismiss the case and rejected Trump’s narrow definition of emoluments, finding it “unpersuasive and inconsistent.”
The lawsuit is one of two landmark cases against Trump relying on the once-obscure emoluments clauses of the Constitution.
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