Democrats subpoena Trump Organization as part of emoluments lawsuit

Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Congressional Democrats have issued 37 subpoenas to the Trump Organization and other Trump business enterprises as part of their lawsuit accusing President Trump of profiting from foreign governments in violation of the Constitution.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) released a statement Monday saying the subpoenas seek "information about foreign government payments accepted by six Trump properties, as well as trademarks granted to Trump businesses by foreign governments." They are asking for responses by July 29.

Last year, Democrats sued Trump, saying that under the Constitution's emoluments clause, Congress has to agree to all foreign payments made to his businesses. Trump has tried to block the lawsuit, but in June, a judge said Democrats can start collecting evidence in discovery. Justice Department attorneys on Monday asked an appeals court to overrule that decision, in an attempt to stop the subpoenas. Trump, the Justice Department wrote, is "likely to suffer irreparable injury" due to "intrusive discovery into his personal finances based on the public office he holds."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.