The case against the so-called President’s on-going violation of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause just got alot stronger.

Two new plaintiffs – Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, an association of Restaurants and Restaurant Workers and Jill Phaneuf, who works for a hospitality company have joined the existing suit filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a D.C.-based watchdog group against the Donald Trump.

The suit alleges that Trump has violated the Constitutional ban against “foreign emoluments” (payments) because many of the properties and businesses that he owns do business with foreign governments or business entities controlled by foreign governments. Trump directly receives “emoluments” or payments because he is the beneficial owner of the Trump Organization.

One of the difficulties with the suit was establishing legal standing – that is, showing that the plaintiffs bringing the suit had actually been harmed by the President’s alleged infractions. Each of the new plaintiffs will argue that Trump is able to leverage his position as President to advantage his businesses at the expense of competing businesses. Saru Jayaraman, co-director of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United explained,

It’s damage to our members, both employers’ bottom lines, and workers’ loss of income and tips. It’s not a free market, or a free country, when foreign governments feel like they have to eat and patronize Trump hotels and restaurants because he’s the president of the United States, I mean, that’s why the emoluments clause was written.”

And more good news: Beyond the matter of standing, the Emoluments suit is likely to force Trump to make public his tax returns in the course of the trial. According to Laurence Tribe, esteemed law professor and one of the lawyers bringing the suit:

I think the district court will have every reason to compel disclosure of the tax returns in particular, given how much they (and only they) will reveal about the exact sources and amounts of many of the unconstitutional Foreign and Domestic Emoluments Trump has been receiving and stands to receive unless enjoined pursuant to the relief our lawsuit seeks.”

If Trump manages to stick around in the White House for long enough for this matter to come to trial, it is likely to force an unwelcome level of transparency on the secretive businessman.

Moreover, the outcome of the trial has the potential to force on Trump a difficult choice between his public role and his private empire.

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