Posted on 01/25/2021 8:48:08 AM PST by SeekAndFind
The US Supreme Court on Monday ordered the dismissal of a pair of lawsuits accusing former President Trump of illegally profiting from his presidency, after several foreign and state government officials patronized his properties - including the Trump International Hotel in Washington, located a few blocks from the White House.
The plaintiffs included hotels, restaurants and the attorneys general of Maryland and the District of Columbia, and accused Trump of violating the Constitution's two emoluments clauses, according to Bloomberg Law, which notes that "One clause bars a president from accepting benefits from foreign governments without congressional consent, while the other bars receipt of any benefit other than a salary from the U.S. government or a state."
The cases were dismissed after both sides agreed that the disputes had become legally moot after Trump's term in office ended on January 20th.
One of the key questions in the cases was who, if anyone, had standing to sue to enforce the emoluments clauses. According to the report, lower courts in both cases said the plaintiffs had legal standing, while the Supreme Court set aside those rulings as part of its Monday order - a step urged by the Trump DOJ.
The cases are Trump v. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, 20-330, and Trump v. District of Columbia, 20-331 (via Bloomberg)
Meanwhile, Trump's post-presidency legal woes appear to be ramping up, as Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance, expanded his office's criminal investigation into the Trump organization's finances last week.
According to the Daily Mail, prosecutors have begun looking into a 212-acre property north of New York City called Seven Springs, which NY Attorney General Letitia James is looking at as part of a probe over whether Eric Trump and various corporate entities artificially inflated property values. A 2012 document values the property at $291 million, while local realtors say it's worth more like $50 million or less. The Trump organization bought it in 1995 for $7.75 million.
The organization then put part of the property into a land trust via conservation easement, which would leave that portion - 158 acres - untouched and undeveloped, ostensibly resulting in a tax break based on the value of the property. The higher the valuation, the larger the tax deduction.
It [the 158 acres] was appraised at $21.1 million, according to the filings but now investigators are looking to see whether the value was artificially inflated.
'Valuations of Seven Springs were used to claim an apparent $21.1 million tax deduction for donating a conservation easement on the property in tax year 2015, and in submissions to financial institutions as a component of Mr. Trump's net worth,' according to court filings in the New York attorney general's investigation. -Daily Mail
The probe into Trump's finance originated after Vane opened an investigation into hush-money payments made to two women prior to the 2016 election, who claimed they had sexual relations with Trump.
Vance notably came under fire in 2018 over a 2015 decision not to pursue charges against Harvey Weinstein - after an attorney for the movie mogul gave Vance $24,000, while another attorney sent $10,000 following the decision.
They feel bad because they know he got screwed and they did not do there job.
Can Trump start suing these scumbag for defamation and slander?
Oh, NOW they dismiss them.
But they let them hang over his head for a very long time time.
Trump isn’t out of the woods yet. More witch hunts are happening.
Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance, expanded his office’s criminal investigation into the Trump organization’s finances last week.
“One clause bars a president from accepting benefits from foreign governments without congressional consent, while the other bars receipt of any benefit other than a salary from the U.S. government or a state.”
If this was rewritten...... one clause bars a potential president and power broker from accepting monies derived from “charitable donations” through the use of a foundation or any other entity from which they receive money or support of any kind while they receive a salary from the US government.
Gee, I wonder how this will impact the case against the Clinton Foundation and the former Sec. of State?
/sarc
Of all the presidents that actually DID profit from their presidency Trump is probly close to the bottom of the list. Top of list obama and clinton come to mind immediately.
“They feel bad because they know he got screwed and they did not do there job.”
On the contrary, they feel great that they did their job, he got screwed, and now he’s gone.
Question is when CJ Roberts presides over the Impeachment Trial will dismiss for lack of standing?
Gone for a minute. He will be back.
Also, once again we have the weaselly issue of standing brought up. I would hope that the attorneys were sufficiently well informed of the law in order to pick the appropriate plaintiffs. Is the law so obscure that it is impossible to know who is a valid plaintiff?
RE: Question is when CJ Roberts presides over the Impeachment Trial will dismiss for lack of standing?
In fact, this particular decision by the SCOTUS should also APPLY to the impeachment.
The lawsuit dismissed by SCOTUS on Trump’s finances because it is now MOOT since Trump is no longer in office applies equally to the Senate trial to remove Trump. Trump is no longer in office and impeachment trials only apply to a President who still holds office.
I won’t end anytime soon. They will continue to run stories through the media. Nothing will stick but won’t stop the mud slinging. Trump has plenty of mud himself. That laptop info is still dripping. Soon it will be about kamala. And whom ever she picks as vp.
Trump will be hounded until he is in Prison and Bankrupted!
Gee, Cy and Tish, how is that probe into the Clinton Foundation and how Dominion got the contract for and altered the cots of New Yorkers? Asking for a friend..
I suppose he can try.
Fine. When the Dems get their packed SCOTUS, the Little Sisters of the Poor will once more have to defend against forced paying for abortions and Trump will be back on the defensive again and again.
The new 15 member SCOTUS (with Hillary and Cuomo) will vote against the defendants. God forbid.
Oh no the Dems will pack the court with so many Judges they will need 200 more buildings to house them all
POTUS Trump is the only Politician who will leave D.C. with less Wealth than when he arrived.
He sacrificed his Family, Finances and Reputation for the People of this Country and this is the thanks he gets.
They didn’t just want him out of Office, they want him and his Supporters destroyed. To be frank, they want POTUS Trump dead and buried along with the rest of us.
That's assuming Roberts is an honest broker, which he isn't if he said while dismissing the Texas election fraud cases that "He will never be re-elected".
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