Supreme Court dismisses Democrats' case to obtain Trump Hotel records

The U.S. Supreme Court ordered a lower court to dismiss the case brought by 17 congressional Democrats who were trying to obtain information about the government lease of the Old Post Office Pavilion to former President Donald Trump, which he owned and operated as the Trump International Hotel until 2022. 

The high court had agreed to hear the Justice Department's appeal in the lawsuit, but Democrats then dismissed the case in a lower court. Both sides requested for the Supreme Court to toss the case, according to court documents.

In a short, unsigned order Monday, the court vacated the lower court's decision and instructed the federal D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to dismiss the case. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented by saying the case should have been dismissed on the grounds that the high court did not have the jurisdiction to take up the case in the first place.

The Democratic lawmakers had filed the lawsuit against the General Services Administration, the agency that manages federal real estate.

The members of Congress were concerned about potential conflicts of interest with the building when Trump served as president. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.

The House Democrats have been able to obtain much of the requested information through other methods since filing the case.

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.