new york president donald trump monday dismiss allegations new lawsuit prominent constitutional ethics lawyers violate u.s. constitution let hotels businesses accept payments foreign governments trump tell reporters white house lawsuit file early day citizens responsibility ethics washington without merit nonprofit watchdog say trump submerge conflict interest tie countries china india potentially russia payments things hotel room office lease pose conflict interest lawsuit seek stop trump accept improper payments say constitutional provision know emoluments clause ban constitution framers aware private financial interest subtly sway even virtuous leaders entanglements american officials foreign power could pose creep insidious threat republic crew say complaint lawsuit file u.s. district court manhattan part wave expect litigation liberal advocacy group trump republican take office friday jan. 11 trump say would retain ownership global business empire president hand day-to-day control old sons eric donald jr .. sheri dillon trump adviser partner law firm morgan lewis bockius say time emoluments clause apply gift rather ordinary business payments hotel bill also say profit generate trump hotels foreign governments would donate u.s. treasury crew say trump refusal cede ownership set blind trust urge u.s. office government ethics leave poise violate constitution repeatedly white house emoluments clause forbid trump u.s. officeholders accept various gift foreign governments without congressional approval u.s. district judge ronnie abrams appointee former democratic president barack obama preside crew lawsuit jay wexler professor boston university school law say substantive claim certainly reasonable court abrams may decide get involve either find plaintiff lack stand alternatively claim present political question weigh merit wexler say natalie gewargis spokeswoman morgan lewis represent trump ethics matter say comment clients work them crew lawsuit challenge payments things office space lease state-owned industrial commercial bank china trump tower new york round trump golf course right rebroadcast create new versions trump reality tv show apprentice china india indonesia turkey unite kingdom among countries trump company plan business trump try business russia least three decades complaint say meanwhile payments washington hotel book next month embassy kuwait national day celebration expect go directly defendant president complaint add show stand sue crew claim significantly injure divert resources lawsuit field hundreds media question trump businesses among lawyers work complaint constitutional scholars laurence tribe harvard university erwin chemerinsky dean university california irvine law school others include two former top white house ethics lawyers norman eisen advise obama richard painter advise republican george w. bush trump reject new lawsuit foreign payments firm