WASHINGTON – On news today that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled, on standing grounds, against Members of Congress in their challenge to hold President Trump accountable to the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, Constitutional Accountability Center President Elizabeth Wydra issued the following reaction:

The Framers included the Foreign Emoluments Clause in the Constitution as the Constitution’s chief bulwark against the foreign corruption of America’s leaders, and for more than half of his term, President Trump has been violating this critical anti-corruption provision, accepting benefits from foreign governments without first obtaining Congress’s affirmative consent.

While we are disappointed in the panel’s decision and are in active discussions with our clients as they consider their next steps, it is important to recognize that today’s ruling is not a decision on the merits. The Court of Appeals did not in any way approve of President Trump’s repeated and flagrant violations of the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause.

#

Resources:

Case page in Blumenthal, et al. v. Trump: https://www.theusconstitution.org/litigation/trump-and-foreign-emoluments-clause/

##

Constitutional Accountability Center is a think tank, public interest law firm, and action center dedicated to fulfilling the progressive promise of the Constitution’s text and history. Visit CAC’s website at www.theusconstitution.org.

###