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A
group of more than 200 Democratic Party lawmakers said in a
statement that as part of lawsuit in federal court they had
issued 37 subpoenas the Trump Organization and other entities,
seeking information about foreign government payments accepted
by properties in his real estate empire.
The subpoenas also seek information about trademarks granted to
Trump businesses by foreign governments.
"Our goal is simple and straightforward - stopping President
Trump from putting a 'For Sale' sign in Russian on the door to
the Oval Office," said Richard Blumenthal, a senator from
Connecticut and the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.
Blumenthal added that the politicians were seeking "a targeted
set of documents" to ensure Trump "can no longer shirk his
constitutional responsibility."
The U.S. Department of Justice, which is representing Trump in
the court case, did not immediately respond to a request for
comment.
The move had been expected in light of recent rulings by U.S.
District Judge Emmet Sullivan in Washington in favor of the
Democratic Party lawmakers.
Trump, a wealthy real estate developer, maintains ownership of
his businesses but has ceded day-to-day control to his sons.
Critics have said that is not a sufficient safeguard.
In 2017, Democrats filed a lawsuit alleging Trump was illegally
profiting from his businesses in various ways, including by
collecting payments from foreign government officials who stay
at his properties and accepting trademark registrations around
the world for his company's products.
A similar case brought the Maryland and the District of Columbia
attorneys general is also making its way through the courts.
The litigation represents the first time in U.S. history courts
have interpreted the so-called "Emoluments Clauses" of the
Constitution, which bans U.S. officials from accepting gifts or
payments from foreign and state governments without
congressional consent.
On June 25 Sullivan rejected a request by Trump administration
lawyers to halt the case and let them file an expedited appeal
of key preliminary rulings he issued against the president.
On Monday the Justice Department urged an appeals court to put
the litigation on hold, saying it was based on "novel and flawed
constitutional premises" and allows "intrusive discovery into
the President's personal financial affairs."
(Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
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