Report: Matt Bevin's stay at Trump hotel could be used against president
Gov. Matt Bevin's stay at one of President Donald Trump’s luxury hotels could cause the White House further legal headaches, according to The Washington Post.
Plaintiffs have alleged in two separate cases that the president violated the U.S. Constitution’s domestic emoluments clause when former Maine Gov. Paul LePage visited Trump hotels.
Legal experts have said under the “emolument," or payments clause, Trump — who maintains financial interest in his companies — is barred from receiving any payments from the states or foreign governments.
Bevin reportedly stayed at the Trump hotel in Washington, D.C., from Jan. 29-31, 2018, according to records obtained by The Washington Post. The $686 bill was paid for by Kentucky taxpayers, and the Kentucky Republican Party later reimbursed the state.
But the transaction is likely going to be cited by the attorneys general for Washington, D.C., and Maryland, who are pursuing the anti-corruption case tied to the LePage stays.
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University of Kentucky law professor Josh Douglas said he couldn't comment on whether the transaction merits attention from prosecutors. But he said the case underscores how Trump's business interests and official duties have become increasingly intertwined.
"I think it shows again the danger of having a president who is in the position to benefit financially from being president," he said. "And it shows how Trump is pushing the boundaries of democratic norms."
Bevin, a Republican, was a close Trump ally who remained wedded to the president during his failed reelection bid against Democratic challenger Andy Beshear.
The governor's office did not announce Bevin was in Washington during that time, and it is unclear if he was joined by any other state officials, staff or security personnel. A review of Bevin's official Twitter account shows no mention of him being in Washington during that time.
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Since a Kentucky Court of Appeals ruling in 1995, governors have not been under any legal obligation to provide a daily schedule of their activities.
Records obtained by The Courier Journal show Bevin used the state plane to fly to Washington on Jan. 11, and twice in February of that year, but not during the dates reported by The Washington Post.
Bevin's office and the Kentucky GOP did not return messages seeking comment.
Bevin’s out-of-state travel became a campaign issue during the 2019 election, especially his use of the official state plane for personal and campaign reasons.
The governor had bristled at questions about his use of the plane, saying as long as the costs were reimbursed, "it’s none of their business."
A Dec. 12 hearing in the case is set before a panel of judges in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.
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Reach Phillip M. Bailey at pbailey@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4475. Follow him on Twitter at @phillipmbailey.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Trump emolument case: Kentucky Gov. Bevin's hotel stay could be used
