Eckardt calls lawsuit against Trump partisan – puts federal funding at risk

Marylands Republican state senator Addie Eckardt is now speaking out against the lawsuit filed by the state attorney general against the president.

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh and DC Attorney General Karl Racine announced a federal lawsuit Monday alleging the president was in violation of the emoluments clauses in the constitution.

The suit claims Trump has received compensation from foreign governments through his businesses something that is forbidden in the emolument clauses.  

During this year's session  the general assembly was able to pass a measure that gave attorney general Brian Frosh the power to sue the president without getting permission from the governor first.  

Eckardt called the measure partisan and said today that Maryland should be concerned about state matters and should not concern itself with federal matters unless needed.

"We have an opiate crisis, we have a prescription drug issue, lets work on the issues in Maryland now. When things happen at the federal level that warrant our engagement that's the time to be engaged," Eckardt said. "We do not need to have resources diverted to the federal level that take away from those priorities."

Eckardt also voiced her concern that suing the president could put Maryland at a risk for federal funding.  

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday they will seek to dismiss the suit.

Gov. Hogan spokesperson Hannah Marr said, "Per the resolution passed by the General Assembly, the governor's office no longer has a role in this process."