A new lawsuit filed in Miami contends that the decision by Miami Dade College to transfer a valuable piece of waterfront land for Donald Trump's presidential library constitutes an illegal benefit. The suit, brought by a group of South Florida residents, targets Trump, his library foundation, top Florida officials, and the college itself. It alleges violations of both state open government laws and the U.S. Constitution's Domestic Emoluments Clause, which prohibits states from granting financial advantages to a sitting president.
The core of the legal challenge centers on the land transfer and its perceived benefit to Trump, with accusations that the college failed to secure any concessions or benefits for itself in the deal. This comes after previous legal actions by activist Marvin Dunn, who had previously sued Miami Dade College for alleged violations of Florida’s public transparency laws concerning the land deal. While a temporary injunction was granted in one instance over sunshine law concerns, it did not ultimately block the land transfer.
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The latest complaint argues that the college's trustees unanimously approved the deal without the land being offered commercially, thereby forfeiting potential benefits. The lawsuit also highlights Trump's stated intentions to potentially use the library structure as a hotel, a point of contention among the plaintiffs.
The land in question was transferred from Miami Dade College to the state of Florida, which then subsequently moved it to the foundation tasked with developing Trump's presidential library. This sequence of events has drawn scrutiny, with critics alleging it was an attempt to curry favor with the former president. Representatives for the college and the state have not immediately responded to requests for comment.
