Tag: trump hotels
Ivanka Trump

Ivanka Whines About Inaugural Committee Probe — And Prosecutor Rebuts Her

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

Ivanka Trump, along with the Trump Organization, has been under investigation for years for suspicions around the conduct of the president's 2017 inaugural committee and its funding. This week, she found herself being deposed for reportedly more than five hours by the D.C. attorney general as the investigation continues, leading her to lash out and accuse the investigators of being politically motivated.

But Karl Racine, the attorney general in question, hit back, saying it is clear the Trump family and the inaugural committee broke the law.

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Trump Complains D.C. Virus Outbreak May Ruin His Election Night Party

Trump Complains D.C. Virus Outbreak May Ruin His Election Night Party

Donald Trump on Friday said he is mulling moving an election night party planned to be held at his Washington, D.C., hotel to the White House in order to avoid city coronavirus-related restrictions that ban large gatherings.

"So we have a hotel. I don't know if it's shut down, if you're allowed to use it or not," Trump told reporters Friday morning. "But I know the mayor has shut down Washington, D.C. And if that's the case, we'll probably stay here or pick another location. I think it's crazy. Washington, D.C., is shut down. Can you imagine?"

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Trump International Hotel and Tower

Trump Hotels Reap Hidden Profits From State Department

Donald Trump makes a big show of giving away his annual paycheck to some agency each year. He can afford to, since the Secret Service has rewarded him with two years' worth of pay just in the money it has spent on golf carts. Really. And then there's the money that the Air Force has dropped at Trump's Scottish golf resort. And how Trump has doubled the dues at several of his clubs so that people wanting insider access have to pony up at least $200,000 to bend his elbow in the buffet line (for the buffets that they are still having despite COVID-19).

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FEC Filings: Trump Campaign Funnels Millions From Donors To Trump Businesses

FEC Filings: Trump Campaign Funnels Millions From Donors To Trump Businesses

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

When Donald Trump ran for president in 2016, he promised to "drain the swamp" and declare war on crony capitalism — and he insisted that if he was elected, there would be a strict separation between his presidency and his business interests. But Dan Alexander, in Forbes, reports that according to Federal Election Commission filings, Trump's campaign has so far paid $2.3 million in campaign funds to his private businesses.

"The most recent expenses look familiar," Alexander notes. "The president accepted $38,000 in rent last month through Trump Tower Commercial LLC, the entity that owns his Fifth Avenue skyscraper."In July, according to the FEC filings, Trump's campaign paid $8000 to the Trump Corporation for "legal and IT consulting." And Trump's campaign also coordinated with the Republican National Committee to pay Trump Tower Commercial LLC $225,000.

In July, the FEC filings show, Trump Hotel Collection received $1000 from his campaign. And some of the $2.3 million went to Trump Restaurants LLC.According to Alexander, the Trump Restaurants payments "may be connected to a kiosk in the basement of Trump Tower that sells campaign memorabilia. It's hard to imagine that the kiosk has been doing much business amid the coronavirus crisis, but the campaign has continued to pay its rent: $3000 per month. Trump Restaurants LLC has gotten $117,000 since its owner became president."

Alexander reports, "Trump's machinations have been going on for years now. Forbes first reported on money moving from his reelection campaign to his business in 2018. The amount has more than doubled since then."

Business Insider's Sonam Sheth, discussing the FEC filings and Forbes' reporting, notes, "This isn't the first time the president's campaign has become entangled with his personal finances. In July, the Washington Post's David Fahrenthold reported that Trump's campaign sent nearly $400,000 to the Trump Organization in just two days."

According to Sheth, "The RNC has spent more than $2 million at Trump Organization hotels and resorts. And Trump's campaign, which is funded in part by donations from the president's supporters and big-dollar donors, has spent more than $14 million at his properties."