Judge sets October 2023 trial for New York attorney general’s $250 million lawsuit against Trump, his business empire
Judge sets Oct. 2023 trial for New York attorney general’s $250 million lawsuit against Trump, his business empire
Rudolph W. Giuliani, former lawyer for President Donald Trump and mayor of New York, leads supporters through the crowd at a rally for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Hershey, Pa., Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2016. The rally was to support Clinton, who leads Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the race to be elected president. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (The Associated Press)
NEW YORK – A federal judge is scheduled to hear the first argument Monday in a legal battle between the embattled president and New York attorney general candidate Letitia James.
The case dates from November 2015, when James claimed the president’s campaign had illegally donated to the New York City Republican Party, for which Trump once served as chairman. She said that violated New York’s emoluments clause, which bars government contracts with citizens of foreign powers.
Last month, New York voters approved a ballot measure that would limit the contributions and acceptances by state lawmakers and their families.
Letitia James, the top campaign opponent of Donald Trump ahead of his 2016 presidential run, has made the donations in question a central part of her potential bid against him.
A month after the election, a federal judge ruled that the campaign contribution ban was unconstitutional.
Monday’s argument will focus on whether James can proceed with her lawsuit.
Under the terms of a tentative scheduling order, a two-day trial is on the docket for Oct. 20, 2018, and a week later for Nov. 18-19. After those dates, the judge will determine whether James can move forward with the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges New York’s campaign contribution law violates the Constitution’s First Amendment by making it impossible for James to accept public office. James argues that the law is intended to target politicians in the Democratic Party, and that it would only apply to those like her, who ran for office on
