Nearly 200 Congressional Democrats File Lawsuit Against Trump

Only a few days after it was reported that the attorneys general of D.C. and Maryland were preparing to sue Trump, almost 200 congressional Democrats have filed a suit of their own. The nature of the suits are nearly identical, and they both revolve around Trump’s perceived violation of the Constitution: specifically, the “emoluments clause.”

This suit—believed to involve more members of Congress than any other lawsuit against a sitting president, ever—asserts that Trump has illegally profited from his business by collecting payments from foreign diplomats staying in his hotels, as well as by getting trademark approvals from foreign governments for his company.

What’s unique about this case is that the plaintiffs argue that they’ve been personally hindered by these dealings. Their complaint, which you can read in full here, states:

The founders ensured that federal officeholders would not decide for themselves whether particular emoluments were likely to compromise their own independence or lead them to put personal interest over national interest. An officeholder, in short, should not be the sole judge of his own integrity.

And this is actually the third such lawsuit against Trump. After congressmen and the attorneys general, there is also an ongoing suit involving private individuals who compete with Trump’s businesses. They believe that by keeping a hand in his business, Trump has given his companies an unethical advantage.