A projection at the entrance to the Trump International Hotel in Washington on Monday night. Credit Liz Gorman 

Greenbelt, MD., March 28, 2018. Senior United States District Judge Peter Jo Messitte ruled today that the District of Columbia and Maryland may proceed with a lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump.

In the case, Judge Messitte found that both D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine (D) and Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh (D) have legal standing to sue Trump over the business of the Trump International Hotel in downtown Washington.

Racine and Frosh allege that Trump’s business dealings have violated the Constitution’s ban on receiving “emoluments” or improper payments from individual states and foreign government.

Messitte narrowed the case to the D.C. hotel. He said that other Trump businesses were too far away to  have material impact on either D.C. or Maryland.

While the ruling is likely to be appealed, if it stands both Racine and Frosh can seek internal documents from the Trump Organization, to decide  how much money the D.C. hotel has taken in from both foreign and state governments.[amazon_link asins=’1501174169′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’nevadatoday-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’ad3221f1-32ea-11e8-9e8f-e7f4bfc14a8c’]