June 26 (UPI) — The U.S. Supreme Court dropped a case over a lower court opinion that opened the door for a small group of House members to sue the government for records tied to the Washington, D.C., hotel once owned by former President Donald Trump.
The case had sought to clarify when individual members of Congress, and not a full committee, had a legal right to sue in such cases. The court likely took the move because congressional lawmakers no longer are pushing the case.
The Biden administration had argued against the lower court ruling, saying such requests often would involve a negotiation between the two branches. It said the court decision would open up the executive branch to immediate litigation.
The case would have examined the federal standard known as the “Seven Member Rule.” In the original case, the Justice Department wanted the Supreme Court to rule that Democrats could not sue in court to enforce the rule.
The rule allows any seven members of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability or any five members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee to ask for information about the executive agencies they cover.
After Democrats decided they no longer wanted to pursue the case, the Justice Department said the Supreme Court should rule it moot and not take it up.
Democrats for years pursued the financial documents tied to Trump’s hotel that was the renovated Old Post Office Pavilion that sits on federal property not far from the White House. Raising concerns over bidding and possible conflict of interest, House Democrats tried to sue the Seven Member Rule to obtain the records.
The General Services Administration, which leased the building to Trump, refused the request, leading to the lawsuit.