House Dems accuse Trump of accepting 'unconstitutional' payments through Trump hotel

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee on Friday released a report accusing Trump of accepting "unconstitutional" and "ethically suspect" payments while in office through the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Trump no longer owns the hotel, which later became the Waldorf Astoria, and is situated in the historic post office. The Democrats' report claims Trump charged excessive rates to the Secret Service and that he accept payments from clients working for state governments or who sought political favors from him, the Wall Street Journal reported.

“Not only did President Trump’s hotel often charge the Secret Service far more than authorized federal government rates, the hotel also charged the agency far more than hundreds of other patrons, including members of a foreign royal family and a Chinese business interest,” they wrote.

A spokeswoman for the Oversight Committee, which Republicans control, called the report "recycled garbage."

Under the leadership of Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the Oversight Committee pursued an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden as part of a broader effort to investigate the Biden family and its allegedly illicit dealings. Democrats similarly called those probes baseless.