Watchdog group to file lawsuit over foreign payments to Trump businesses

A liberal watchdog group plans to file a lawsuit Monday, contending that President Trump is violating the Constitution by continuing to accept payments from foreign governments at the businesses operated by his family.

“It was our hope that President Trump would take the necessary steps to avoid violating the Constitution before he took office,” said Noah Bookbinder, the executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington or CREW. “He did not. 

His constitutional violations are immediate and serious, so we were forced to take legal action.” At issue: The foreign "Emoluments Clause” of the Constitution, which bans payments or gifts from foreign governments.

Earlier this month, Trump and his lawyer Sheri Dillon said he was surrendering management of the company to his two adult sons, Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump, and a longtime Trump Organization executive. They plan to operate the businesses through a trust and will add an ethics adviser to review deals. Trump, however, still retains ownership of his businesses.

At a new conference announcing Trump's business plan, Dillon argued that the emoluments clause doesn't apply to fair market value transactions for goods and services, such as a paying for a hotel room.