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Eugene

(61,593 posts)
Fri Aug 17, 2018, 11:21 PM Aug 2018

Justice Department seeks to halt lawsuit involving President Trump's business

Source: Washington Post

The Justice Department on Friday asked a federal judge to halt proceedings in a lawsuit involving President Trump’s private business, arguing that allowing the case to go forward would “be a distraction to the President’s performance of his constitutional duties.”

The lawsuit, filed by Maryland and the District of Columbia, centers on whether Trump is violating the Constitution by continuing to do business with foreign and state governments while serving as president. Earlier this year, U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte ruled that the historic case could proceed, opening the door for the plaintiffs to seek internal records from Trump’s hotel in downtown Washington.

In Friday’s filing, the Justice Department sought to block the case on the grounds that Messitte was setting new precedent on complex issues involving a sitting president and asked that he put the case on hold until a higher court could review his rulings.

“Plaintiffs are now poised to attempt to conduct civil discovery against the sitting President, in his official capacity, which necessarily would be a distraction,” Justice Department attorneys wrote in the 36-page filing.

-snip-

By Jonathan O'Connell, Reporter
August 17 at 6:46 PM


Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/justice-department-seeks-to-halt-lawsuit-involving-president-trumps-business/2018/08/17/0633c454-a23f-11e8-8e87-c869fe70a721_story.html

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Justice Department seeks to halt lawsuit involving President Trump's business (Original Post) Eugene Aug 2018 OP
Couldn't it be argued that running his businesses from the White House forgotmylogin Aug 2018 #1
Yes, but not by the Trump Justice Dept. dchill Aug 2018 #3
The only justice in the Dept. of Justice since the Trump administration is written above the door. olegramps Aug 2018 #25
Personnaly I don't recognise him as president. His election was rigged by the Russians. olegramps Aug 2018 #29
He's not supposed to be running his biznez!!!11!! htuttle Aug 2018 #2
"..... the President's performance of his constitutional duties." Turbineguy Aug 2018 #4
... happens every day he is on the golf course RainCaster Aug 2018 #9
And that was my first belly laugh of the day! PatSeg Aug 2018 #23
Ah yes... They_Live Aug 2018 #33
I though Uday and Qusay were supposed to be running Trump's business? emulatorloo Aug 2018 #5
LOL, Me too. iluvtennis Aug 2018 #19
You mean DUMBER and EVEN DUMBER? ProudMNDemocrat Aug 2018 #27
Sitting president my ass! This case should move forward. If the sitting president thinks sueh Aug 2018 #6
Shouldn't that be Scarsdale Aug 2018 #22
They're trying to save this case from moving forward until Kavanaugh is seated? Anon-C Aug 2018 #7
If the Justice Department wants the judge to believe it is a distraction, they can tabulate RockRaven Aug 2018 #8
Couldn't it be argued that the Justice Dept is going outside their jurisdiction? LiberalFighter Aug 2018 #10
YES Grasswire2 Aug 2018 #16
Sorry asshole AG, doesn't hold. That same argument was applied to Paula Jones, and overruled. What still_one Aug 2018 #11
So the DOJ is now acting as trump's personal lawyers? PSPS Aug 2018 #12
exactly -- he has already stated that he wants the AG to protect him personally. nt Grasswire2 Aug 2018 #17
I too am wondering why the Justice Depart is involved. riversedge Aug 2018 #28
Let's not distract the Orange Clown djacq Aug 2018 #13
His entire Presidency is a distraction. Everything about this man and his family is a distraction. YOHABLO Aug 2018 #14
The court should throw the Justice Departments claims out as Trump had ample opportunity cstanleytech Aug 2018 #15
45 is always free to invoke the 25th amendment, so he can spend more time with his lawsuits. nt eggplant Aug 2018 #18
Really? Farmergene Aug 2018 #20
Were Clinton or Nixon allowed to use that argument? n/t KY_EnviroGuy Aug 2018 #21
Sire, you look like the piss boy. Mc Mike Aug 2018 #24
It's a distraction??? C_U_L8R Aug 2018 #26
"The emoluments clause has never been fully tested in an American courtroom. Two other lawsuits .. riversedge Aug 2018 #30
Cough, cough...Conflict of Interest example # 23,379. FSogol Aug 2018 #31
They're trying to make Catch-23. The president appears to be abusing his office muriel_volestrangler Aug 2018 #32
He has enough time duforsure Aug 2018 #34
I would love to see the judge say this KayF Aug 2018 #35
So running a criminal enterprise out of the WH isn't a distraction Ruby the Liberal Aug 2018 #36

forgotmylogin

(7,496 posts)
1. Couldn't it be argued that running his businesses from the White House
Fri Aug 17, 2018, 11:40 PM
Aug 2018

are already a distraction to the performance of presidential duties?

htuttle

(23,738 posts)
2. He's not supposed to be running his biznez!!!11!!
Fri Aug 17, 2018, 11:42 PM
Aug 2018


Just plug this motion right into the socket for the emoluments case...

Turbineguy

(37,212 posts)
4. "..... the President's performance of his constitutional duties."
Fri Aug 17, 2018, 11:43 PM
Aug 2018

Give them points for a sense of humor. When has he ever done his "constitutional duties"?

RainCaster

(10,681 posts)
9. ... happens every day he is on the golf course
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 12:14 AM
Aug 2018

Cuz it sure don't happen when that asshole is in the WH.

PatSeg

(46,804 posts)
23. And that was my first belly laugh of the day!
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 07:04 AM
Aug 2018

The man lives in a constant state of self-made distractions. He has no idea what "constitutional duties" are, though maybe that could be construed as "tweeting on the toilet".

sueh

(1,818 posts)
6. Sitting president my ass! This case should move forward. If the sitting president thinks
Fri Aug 17, 2018, 11:50 PM
Aug 2018

it is perfectly ok to profit from doing business with foreign and state governments, he can damn well answer for his actions in the courtroom NOW.

Scarsdale

(9,426 posts)
22. Shouldn't that be
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 06:26 AM
Aug 2018

"Golfing president"?? Seems he spends more time golfing that doing the actual job as president. Since he has no idea what the job entails, maybe we are lucky?

Anon-C

(3,430 posts)
7. They're trying to save this case from moving forward until Kavanaugh is seated?
Fri Aug 17, 2018, 11:53 PM
Aug 2018

The admins argument sounds like that of Kavanaugh's Imperial Presidency...where the executive just cannot be bothered by lawsuits and federal investigations.

RockRaven

(14,783 posts)
8. If the Justice Department wants the judge to believe it is a distraction, they can tabulate
Fri Aug 17, 2018, 11:58 PM
Aug 2018

with precision and accuracy exactly how he has spent his time as POTUS thus far, to demonstrate that he has no time/attention to spare.

The fact is that Trump spends 4-8 hours a day watching TV and spends 1/3 of his days at his own company's properties cheating at golf and driving his big-boy zoom-zoom cart (b/c he's both lazy and superstitious about not exercising - including walking apparently). He's got plenty of time and energy to spend on legal consultations related to this case, or more accurately, zoning out whilst his lawyers attempt to discuss this case with him.

Grasswire2

(13,564 posts)
16. YES
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 01:29 AM
Aug 2018

It is not the purview of the Justice Department to protect the president from actions resulting from his potential abuse of power.

still_one

(91,959 posts)
11. Sorry asshole AG, doesn't hold. That same argument was applied to Paula Jones, and overruled. What
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 12:16 AM
Aug 2018

comes around goes around


 

YOHABLO

(7,358 posts)
14. His entire Presidency is a distraction. Everything about this man and his family is a distraction.
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 01:12 AM
Aug 2018

cstanleytech

(26,080 posts)
15. The court should throw the Justice Departments claims out as Trump had ample opportunity
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 01:28 AM
Aug 2018

to put all his assets into a blind trust but he choose not to.

Farmergene

(76 posts)
20. Really?
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 02:26 AM
Aug 2018

That ass in the WH is a PRESIDENT? Couldn't prove it by me. Here I thought he was a crook, a sharlatan, and a Russian asset.

KY_EnviroGuy

(14,483 posts)
21. Were Clinton or Nixon allowed to use that argument? n/t
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 06:19 AM
Aug 2018

.......... ............

This is just tRump and Sessions claiming "it's good to be King"........

Mc Mike

(9,107 posts)
24. Sire, you look like the piss boy.
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 09:11 AM
Aug 2018

The repugs made Carter sell his peanut farm.

It's a distraction? The answer is 'blind trust'.

C_U_L8R

(44,894 posts)
26. It's a distraction???
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 10:55 AM
Aug 2018

Who else gets to use that excuse?
The law is the law... Trump needs to obey it.

riversedge

(69,722 posts)
30. "The emoluments clause has never been fully tested in an American courtroom. Two other lawsuits ..
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 03:33 PM
Aug 2018

It is past time this clause was tested in a court of law!!


https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/08/17/us/politics/ap-us-trump-hotel-lawsuit.html


.............Justice lawyers argued that the "public interest is decidedly in favor of a stay because any discovery would necessarily be a distraction to the President's performance of his constitutional duties."

D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine responded: "After winning two major rulings in this case already, we anticipated President Trump's most recent motion. Nonetheless, our case is still moving forward. We are on track to propose a schedule for discovery by September 14, and we hope to request relevant documents shortly thereafter."

The emoluments clause has never been fully tested in an American courtroom. Two other lawsuits accusing the president of violating the emoluments clause are also being heard in other federal courts. Neither has reached the discovery stage.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,154 posts)
32. They're trying to make Catch-23. The president appears to be abusing his office
Sat Aug 18, 2018, 03:41 PM
Aug 2018

by profiting in private business due to being president. So should the law be enforced? But, they say, since he's president, it's too much of a distraction for him to have to answer the charge. They say there should be no case.

That's some catch, there.

duforsure

(11,882 posts)
34. He has enough time
Sun Aug 19, 2018, 07:16 AM
Aug 2018

To be playing golf numerous times a week , and has enough time to constantly tweet crude remarks towards others daily, and has more time on his ass watching tv, so this is bogus. If he's allowed to profit freely off his position , why can't others in their positions profit also? Under no circumstances should a person working in our government anywhere be allowed in any way to profit from their policies or position of power, or we're really asking for troubles.

KayF

(1,345 posts)
35. I would love to see the judge say this
Sun Aug 19, 2018, 07:22 AM
Aug 2018

deny the motion by listing all the things you mention, proving Trump has too much time on his hands if anything.

Ruby the Liberal

(26,216 posts)
36. So running a criminal enterprise out of the WH isn't a distraction
Sun Aug 19, 2018, 07:54 AM
Aug 2018

but defending the right to profit off of the Presidency is.

Got it.

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