Steve Wynn seeks to toss civil suit

Wynn Resorts founder and former CEO Steve Wynn is asking a federal court to toss a civil suit brought against him by the US Justice Department earlier this year.

In what it called the first lawsuit of its kind, the DOJ sued Wynn to have him registered as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

The DOJ alleged he was acting as a foreign agent for the Republic of China and a former official, lobbying then-President Donald Trump and members of his administration to remove a Chinese national accused of corruption (who was seeking political asylum) from the US.

Wynn said he was acting in the interests of the US by bringing the opportunity to Trump, not as an agent of China, CNN reported.

Other arguments Wynn made include that the alleged conduct did not meet the definition of a request requiring registration or political activities and that a requirement to register would violate his First and Fifth Amendment rights.

Wynn also argued that under DC Circuit precedent, any obligation to register had the allegations been true ended by October 2017, which is when the DOJ alleges the relationship with the Chinese government ended.

Wynn’s lawyers previously said he has never acted as an agent of the Chinese government. The government has until August 15 to respond.

Source: Fantini Research