Donald Trump has spent his adulthood suing people or threatening to sue people. That was how he got out of paying the small subcontractors who did work for him. Indeed, that is how he has indicated he thinks he will win the November 3rd presidential election. Of course, his kneecapping the US Postal Service might help.
Monday, a New York Federal Appeals Court allowed an earlier court decision stand. A group of hotel and restaurant owners gave the president a taste of his own medicine, claiming he violated the Emolument Clause written into our Constitution, The Herald-Mail Media reported.
The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals overruled the president’s request to have the court rehear his suit so that he could take an appeal to before the Supreme Court. Trump wanted to take the definition of the Constitutional ban on self-dealing by those holding federal offices to the highest court in the land.
A public interest group, The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), announced an eight to three decision favoring the hospitality industry workers.
Spokesperson for CREW Jordan Libowitz said:
‘We’re pleased at the 2nd Circuit’s decision and look forward to continuing this historic case.’
Trump has been wrapped up in lawsuits ever since he took office. This case and several others involved the Emoluments Clause. This lawsuit was one in a handful of lawsuits that indicated Trump had refused to put his umbrella of businesses into a blind trust during his stay at the White House. He was the first president to never do so.
At its root, the problem has been that Trump wanted to be king with three or four terms in office.
In addition, he violated the Emoluments Clause by profiting from his stature as president. Naturally, that gave him an advantage over other competitors. For example, Trump wanted to hold the G-7 Summit at one of his own resorts. That deal fell apart when the president insisted on inviting Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Germany’s Angela Merkel withdrew. Putin was banned from the former G-8 Summit when he invaded and occupied Crimea, which is legally a part of the Ukraine, according to CNN.
A Federal District Court in New York initially dismissed the case in December 2017, finding the plaintiffs lacked a legal right to sue Trump over the alleged Constitutional abuses.
According to The Britannica, the Emoluments Clause is:
‘[A] provision of the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 9, Paragraph 8) that generally prohibits federal officeholders from receiving any gift, payment, or other thing of value from a foreign state or its rulers, officers, or representatives.’
‘The clause provides that: No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.’
Nearly a year ago, a three-judge panel in the 2nd Circuit ruled two to one to agree to let the lawsuit go forward. That was when Trump asked to have a rehearing before the entire court.
A Richmond, VA Federal Appeals Court decided last May to retain another lawsuit that charged POTUS had violated the Constitutional Prohibition. After that decision, Trump’s private counsel Jay Sekulow said that the president’s legal team intended to ask for the Supreme Court to review it.
In another Emoluments Clause case, the Democratic legislators asked the Supreme Court last month to reverse a ruling out of a Federal Appeals Court out of Washington, DC. It had found they did not have a right to sue the president. Thus far, the panel has not addressed their request.
Twitter world went nuts after Trump tried this fast one. Take a look at some of our favorites below:
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
