Page 3 - AT

A3
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 16 OctOber 2019

Appeals court to hold rehearing on Trump hotel lawsuit

By DENISE LAVOIE cant legal victory. All three that argue the president is Trump's legal team had ar- the emoluments clause
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A judges were nominated by violating the emoluments gued that Frosh and District only bars compensation
federal appeals court will Republican presidents. provision, which prohibits of Columbia Attorney Gen- made in connection with
reconsider a ruling from The panel found that the federal officials from ac- eral Karl Racine — both services provided in his of-
a three-judge panel that two jurisdictions lack stand- cepting benefits from for- Democrats — lack author- ficial capacity or in "an em-
threw out a lawsuit accus- ing to pursue claims against eign or state governments ity to sue the president in his ployment-type relationship"
ing President Donald Trump the president and granted without congressional ap- official capacity. Trump's with a foreign or domestic
of illegally profiting off the a petition for a rare writ of proval. lawyers also argued that government.q

In this Jan. 23, 2019, file photo, the Trump International Hotel
near sunset in Washington.
Associated Press

presidency through his lux- mandamus, directing U.S.
ury Washington hotel. District Court Judge Peter
The Richmond-based 4th Messitte to dismiss the law-
U.S. Circuit Court of Ap- suit.
peals agreed Tuesday to The decision to allow a
hold a hearing before the full-court hearing brought
full court of 15 judges. Ar- renewed resolve from of-
guments are scheduled for ficials in Maryland and the
Dec. 12. District of Columbia, who
In a 2017 lawsuit, the state argued that hotels in their
of Maryland and the Dis- jurisdictions suffer "competi-
trict of Columbia accused tive injury" because officials
Trump of violating the emol- hoping to curry favor with
uments clause of the U.S. the president are more like-
Constitution by accepting ly to stay at his hotel.
profits through foreign and "Every single day, President
domestic officials who stay Trump receives payments
at the Trump International from foreign governments
Hotel. and from the United States.
A federal judge in Mary- We intend to hold him ac-
land ruled that the lawsuit countable for violations of
could move forward. our nation's original anti-
But a three-judge panel of corruption laws," Maryland
the 4th Circuit overturned Attorney General Brian
that ruling in July , hand- Frosh said in a statement.
ing the president a signifi- The case is one of three