{UAH} Trump loses bid to toss out lawsuit on whether his hotel business violates Constitution

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Wednesday lost his second bid to toss out a lawsuit that contends he's violating anti-corruption provisions of the Constitution by accepting money from foreign and state governments

The lawsuit, which centers on spending by government interests at the Trump International Hotel in the nation's capital, could open the door to the plaintiffs in the case gaining access to some of the hotel's business records.

The case was brought by the attorneys general of Washington and Maryland, who argue Trump is breaking the little-tested "emoluments" provisions of the U.S. Constitution. Those provisions bar top officials from receiving money from domestic and foreign governments without congressional approval.

U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte said the attorneys general "convincingly argued" that the emoluments clauses applied in this case.

Trump stepped away from management of his hotel, real-estate and branding businesses when he took office, but he has retained ownership of them and can pull money from them at any time. 

The ruling keeps the case alive for now. A similar lawsuit brought earlier in New York by watchdog groups failed because the judge ruled the organizations did not demonstrate how Trump's continued business dealings with foreign interests hurt the groups.

Officials with the Justice Department still could appeal Wednesday's decision.

"We continue to maintain that this case should be dismissed, a position that was shared by a New York court in a related case," Andy Reuss, an agency spokesman, said in a statement. "The Justice Department is reviewing the order and determining next steps."

Wednesday's ruling is the latest in a swirl of legal problems confronting Trump and his administration. They range from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election to a criminal probe into the activities of Trump's former lawyer and "fixer" Michael Cohen

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