A Washington D.C. wine bar filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump on Wednesday night, claiming that his continued involvement with the nearby Trump International Hotel creates unfair competition for other businesses. Trump has resigned from the Trump Organization and handed it over to his two sons, but he still holds a financial interest.

The bar claims it has seen a significant decrease in income since the inauguration, and says that now that Trump is president, many officials and lobbyists choose his hotel rather than other local businesses in order to gain political influence. As Trump often drops in on the weekends, there’s also the chance to get some personal time with the president. “It seems to us to be a clear situation in which he’s using his office of the president to get a financial gain at the expense of local businesses,” said the bar’s attorney, Scott Rome.

But Trump’s team called the lawsuit “a wild publicity stunt completely lacking in legal merit.” However, the lawsuit quotes Sean Spicer’s praise of the hotel at a press conference in January as well as an anonymous lobbyist saying that government officials notice who spends money in the hotel bar.

Asked about new Trump hotel lawsuit and claims that Trump hotel is hurting small biz, Sean Spicer says Trump is a supporter of small biz

— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) March 9, 2017

The owners of Cork Wine Bar, Khalid Pitts and Diane Gross, are politically active and often host political fundraisers. Gross used to be a civil rights attorney and counsel to former Senator Barbara Mikulski. Pitts was once the campaign director of the Service Employees International Union, a political director for the Sierra Club, and ran for DC Council three years ago. They say that they appreciate healthy competition between businesses, but that now it feels like every place except for Trump’s hotel is a second choice for anyone wanting to do business with the government.

Have to brag about lawsuit just filed by my amazing dad — still making trouble for people in power, at age 78!

https://t.co/jwt08epKnK

— Nina Morrison (@Nina_R_Morr) March 9, 2017

The bar owners have legal help from pro bono attorneys and they are not seeking any money–they just want to end the unfair competition. It is also not filed as a constitutional challenge regarding the Emoluments Clause, which prohibits a president from accepting benefits from foreign states. The suit addresses Trump as a private businessman, but it still suggests that he could get rid of the problem by resigning.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Washington D.C. Wine Bar Sues Trump For Unfair Competition appeared first on Law Street.

Image courtesy of Emma Von Zeipel for Law Street Media

“I’m striking for the fact that we have a pussy grabber in the White House,” said Adina Klein, who said she is a rape survivor herself and that the election was a real trigger for her. “It’s been horrible. I’m striking for his disgusting cabinet appointments, I’m striking for the repeal of the ACA, I’m striking for all the women in my life that can’t strike.” She noted that she was lucky to be able to attend the demonstration without risking her job, as she could take a personal day from work.

Image courtesy of Emma Von Zeipel for Law Street Media

There is still a pay gap between men and women in the U.S. Right now women make about 79 cents for every dollar a man makes, which was one reason that Erica Jaffe went to the protest, along with her mother Jill. “Wage inequality is something that follows you your whole life. It usually starts when you’re 30, when it really widens, and after that point it’s really hard to catch up. It’s not fair,” said Erica. “It’s got to stop.

Although the focus of the day was on women’s rights–equal pay, the right to choose, and gender equality in general–many signs and chants also highlighted other causes. There were calls to save the Affordable Care Act, to welcome refugees and immigrants, to fight for transgender rights, and to impeach Donald Trump. As the mass of protesters started marching west toward Trump International Hotel, organizers and protesters gathered in the middle of the roundabout in Columbus Circle, prompting calls from police to disperse. In the end, some of the organizers were arrested.

Some of us have been arrested #DayWithoutAWoman pic.twitter.com/WSYVdrQjxA

— Women’s March (@womensmarch) March 8, 2017

Despite the arrests, the demonstration was peaceful and there were many families with children and babies. The march only went a couple of blocks to the Trump International Hotel by Central Park South, where people stopped and chanted at the building. The atmosphere was calm, even hopeful. Maybe it was because so many people of different genders, ethnicities, and ages came together, united.

Although I noticed one lonely Trump supporter in a red Make America Great Again hat who was walking around with two friends, heckling female protesters, nobody paid any attention to them. The focus was on the more important message–that women deserve as much respect as men.

“I’m a woman. And under current circumstances this is a pretty radical thing to stand up for,” said Ulli Barta. “It’s unbelievable what nowadays is being considered as the norm.”

Image courtesy of Emma Von Zeipel for Law Street Media

Marina Garcia-Vasquez agreed that being a woman is enough to protest in today’s political climate. “I’m here in solidarity and to support women’s rights in the workplace, as mothers in the workplace, and as women in society,” she said. “I mean the list goes on; reproductive rights, basic healthcare, anything, it starts from the basis of being a woman and demanding equal rights.”

Barta added that today, we can’t just be for women’s rights. “We have to be for civil rights, we have to be for LGBTQIA rights, we have to be for immigrant rights, we have to protect our environment.”

Check out some more photos below:

Image courtesy of Emma Von Zeipel for Law Street Media

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

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