Watchdog group sues Trump administration over

A watchdog group filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the Trump administration, arguing that Jared Kushner's current role as a top envoy for the White House is unlawful and raises serious conflict-of-interest concerns. Kushner is the president's son-in-law. The suit was brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, known as CREW.

According to the filing, Kushner holds significant influence in international affairs even though the Senate has never confirmed him and he has not filed a financial disclosure. The suit says he negotiates directly with foreign leaders and that declining a salary and a formal title does not change the fact that he exercises substantial executive authority. It also argues he has not been properly vetted for the role and has avoided the transparency rules meant to make sure officials act in the public interest rather than their own. The suit points to overlapping interests between Kushner's diplomatic work and his business dealings. CREW is asking the court to bar him from the position without Senate confirmation, or at the least to require him to file financial disclosure statements.

Kushner's attorney, Chad Mizelle, said the suit has no merit. He said both outside ethics counsel and government ethics attorneys have reviewed Kushner's volunteer service and found that it meets ethics requirements. Mizelle added that Kushner receives no government salary or compensation, pays his own expenses, and will keep working with counsel to stay in compliance.

A White House spokesperson, Anna Kelly, criticized CREW in a separate statement and called Kushner a proven dealmaker with a strong record. The statement said his personal business activities have nothing to do with his diplomatic work, which he does as a volunteer at the president's request. A White House official also pointed out that presidents have used private envoys for sensitive international matters since George Washington.

The case adds to CREW's legal fights with the administration. The Supreme Court recently agreed to hear a separate dispute over the group's attempt to obtain records from the Department of Government Efficiency. Reporting on the Kushner suit comes from NBC News. The lawsuit is new, and the court has not ruled on any of its claims.