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Trump properties made millions off the midterm election

The president continues to use the White House to line his pockets.

People protest outside the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Canada's Vancouver on Feb. 28, 2017, the building's official opening day. (Xinhua/Liang Sen via Getty Images)
People protest outside the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Canada's Vancouver on Feb. 28, 2017, the building's official opening day. (Xinhua/Liang Sen via Getty Images)

Trump-owned and branded properties cashed in during the midterm elections, according to a CNN analysis which found that campaigns and outside groups spent at least $3.2 million at the hotels and resorts.

The CNN analysis of Federal Election Commission data found that the Republican National Committee was the biggest customer, spending at least $1.2 million at Trump-branded properties since the beginning of 2017.

Previously, the Center for Responsive Politics reported that Trump properties had cashiered around $1.5 million. Most of that money was spent at Trump National Doral Miami, where the RNC held meetings in June, and Mar-A-Lago, which held fundraising events earlier this year.

The president himself has also thrown money at his properties, spending more than $950,000 at Trump properties in the last two years.

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Trump properties benefited even more during the 2016 election cycle, when they made $3.7 million from campaigns and PACs. And the spending isn’t limited to just campaign seasons.

According to ProPublica, Trump properties have made more than $16 million from government agencies and political campaigns since Trump announced his candidacy.

Trump is facing litigation for his scheme of making money from foreign governments during his presidency. Democrats in Congress and the attorneys general of Washington, D.C. and Maryland have sued the president and his company, claiming that the Constitution and its emoluments clause prohibit presidents from this type of self-enrichment while in office.

Both cases are proceeding. In September, a federal judge said the case filed by 200 Congressional Democrats can go forward. Earlier this month meanwhile, a judge denied the president’s request to put the attorneys general’s case on pause.

House Democrats, who won control of the chamber last week, have vowed to launch investigations into Trump’s businesses after they take power at the start of Congress’ next session.