A federal judge in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland [official website] on Wednesday partially granted [order, PDF] President Donald Trump’s motions to dismiss an emoluments challenge [materials], allowing the remainder of the claims to proceed.

The District of Columbia and Maryland brought suit [JURIST report] in June 2017 alleging that the President is in violation of both the foreignand domestic [texts] Emoluments Clauses of the Constitution, which bar payments to the President from individual states and foreign governments, due to his interest in the Trump Organization [corporate website]. The suit contends that Trump continues to derive financial benefit from the global business empire, including its hotels, restaurants, and event spaces in DC, and that this leads to a substantial detriment to DC-Maryland-area competitors.

DC and Maryland are seeking declaratory relief establishing a violation of the Emoluments Clauses, as well as injunctive relief prohibiting him from accepting future emoluments.

The Court denied Trump’s motion to dismiss with respect to the Trump International Hotel in DC, and granted his motion for those outside of the DC area. US District Judge Peter J. Messitte [official profile] found validity [opinion, PDF] in the challengers’ arguments that Trump continues to unfairly profit from business at the downtown DC hotel. Messitte notes that several government clients have patronized Trump’s Washington property, including Kuwait and Bahrain.

Since his taking office, numerous lawsuits have challenged Trump’s alleged violations of the Emoluments Clause. A federal judge in New York dismissed [JURIST report] a similar suit in December, saying that it was an issue for Congress to address.