SALEM -- Five Democratic members of Congress from Oregon are among nearly 200 members of Congress who filed suit Wednesday against President Donald Trump, accusing him of improperly accepting money from abroad.

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici and Peter DeFazio are co-plaintiffs in the suit, which argues that Trump has violated anti-corruption clauses of the U.S. Constitution.

Reps. Kurt Schrader, a moderate Democrat, and Greg Walden, Oregon's only Republican congressman, did not sign onto the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs, lead by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., argue that Trump violated the Constitution's clause barring officeholders from taking foreign gifts and money without consent from Congress.

As examples, the lawsuit cites trademarks granted to Trump's companies by the Chinese government following his election. The trademark applications were approved and processed more quickly because of Trump's status as president, the suit says.

Also at issue are Trump's properties. Foreign diplomats have been purposefully booking rooms at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. to curry favor with the president, according to news reports cited in the lawsuit. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also owns a floor of Trump World Tower, and a state-owned Chinese bank and agency of the United Arab Emirates lease space in Trump Tower.

The Emoluments Clause of the Constitution prevents officeholders from accepting "any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state." The suit argues that the nation's Founding Fathers included that language because they feared influence from foreign actors might corrupt the United States government. "Emolument" has been interpreted by Congress and the Supreme Court to mean a profit, advantage, benefit or comfort, including compensation earned through private business.

Trump is "not obeying the same rules" as prior presidents have, according to the suit, which argues Trump's refusal to divest from his business interests is one way he has breached the anti-corruption clause.

The president's business empire is vast and its precise holdings are unclear, according to the suit. Without seeing Trump's tax returns, the suit says, it is "impossible" to know the full extent of benefits he may be receiving from foreign states.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer responded to the suit by saying the administration's position is that Trump has not breached the anti-corruption clause. Spicer also said the suit may be motivated by partisan politics.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

503-221-8209; @GordonRFriedman