The attorneys general in Maryland and District of Columbia wasted no time seeking key records regarding Donald Trump's family business just one day after a federal judge ruled discovery could commence in an emoluments lawsuit against Trump over his luxury Washington hotel.
Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh and District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine issued subpoenas targeting "more than 30 Trump-linked private entities and the federal agency that oversees the lease for Trump’s D.C. hotel," reports the Washington Post. But wait, there's more—the IRS, General Services Administration, and Departments of Defense, Commerce, and Agriculture all received subpoenas too regarding their use of taxpayer dollars at Trump's hotel.
One thing Frosh and Racine have not sought to obtain are Trump's personal tax returns, although they have subpoenaed federal and state tax returns for the Trump Organization.
Trump's lawyers made a desperate last-minute bid over the weekend to block the discovery process from proceeding in the case, which charges that it’s unconstitutional for Trump to reap profits from his Washington hotel while he’s serving as president. But U.S. District Court Judge Peter Messitte swiftly ruled against them. Stay tuned—this could get interesting.