Parnas, Fruman, and the president's D.C. hotel
Parnas, Fruman, and the president's D.C. hotel
Indicted Soviet-born associates of Giuliani were loyal Trump Hotels customers, allegedly major donors to super PAC that’s spent more than $500,000 at Trump Hotel D.C.
From “2 Giuliani associates tied to Ukraine scandal arrested on campaign finance charges” by Eileen Sullivan, Adam Goldman and William K. Rashbaum for The New York Times:
Two associates of the president’s private lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, who helped fund efforts to investigate one of President Trump’s political rivals, were charged in a separate case with violating campaign finance laws, according to court documents.
The two men, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, believed to be important witnesses in the House’s impeachment inquiry of Mr. Trump, were arrested on campaign finance charges.
The indictment relates in part to a $325,000 donation an energy company, of which the Soviet-born Parnas and Fruman are executives, made to the Trump campaign’s “one approved outside non-campaign group,” super PAC America First Action.
The Trump Hotel D.C. connections:
America First Action has spent more than $505,000 at the Trump Hotel D.C. So President Trump has profited from a super PAC that allegedly has received illegal campaign donations from Soviet-born associates of Rudy Giuliani.
Two good Trump Hotels customers might be tied up for a while. In addition to the now iconic shot of Giuliani and Parnas at Rudy’s usual table in BLT Prime, Parnas and Fruman spent almost $20,000 at Trump’s hotels in New York and D.C., reported Michael Sallah and Emma Loop for BuzzFeed News yesterday. And Parnas and Fruman reportedly lunched at the Trump Hotel D.C. with Giuliani before the duo tried to skip town, according to Rebecca Ballhaus of The Wall Street Journal.
Florida’s governor to join Trump supporters and customers at Trump Doral
This afternoon, the American Priority Conference, happening now at Trump Doral, announced Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has joined its lineup. It’s a return speaking engagement at the U.S. president’s business for Florida’s governor; DeSantis addressed the Dade County Police Benevolent Association’s awards gala at Doral in May.
According to its website, at the event “American Priority is going to continue our efforts to support Free Speech and Free Association while also highlighting American Culture.”
As 1100 Pennsylvania first reported, former White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders is one of the conference’s headliners. Trump Org EVP Donald Trump Jr., who is walled off from his father’s administration, and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R–FL) are among the other top-billed attractions.
Admission to the event runs from $250 to $2,500, with rooms at Doral starting at an additional $199 per night. Sponsorship opportunities begin at $1,000. As the tweet advertising DeSantis’s appearance makes clear, tickets are still available.
DeSantis and Sanders’s appearance at this event—alongside Laura Loomer, Jack Posobiec, and George Papadopoulos—comes at a time when Doral could use the business. “Trump’s prized Doral resort is in steep decline, according to company documents, showing his business problems are mounting” reported David A. Fahrenthold and Jonathan O’Connell of The Washington Post in May.
President to profit off prophets, again
A group of self-proclaimed prophets has scheduled a four-day “experience with God” at the Trump Hotel D.C. around New Year’s 2020.
Tickets for worshipers cost $120 to $150, with rooms in the group’s room block running an affordable $235 to $275.
It’s a return visit to the Trump Hotel D.C. for many of these ministers. As 1100 Pennsylvania previously reported, in July Cindy Jacobs packed 500 people—including Kenya’s second lady, Rachel Ruto—into President Trump’s presidential ballroom. Of that event, Jacbos wrote, “The glory of the Lord was released over Wash. DC from the Trump Hotel.”
And in February 2018, Dutch Sheets Ministries (“apostolic, prophetic and teaching ministry”) sold out The Turnaround: An Appeal To Heaven National Gathering at the Trump Hotel D.C. During this event, customers at the Trump Hotel D.C. prayed for the removal (in the name of Jesus) of Supreme Court justices and some members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The Eventbrite page for the upcoming event lists Jon Hamill as one of its hosts. Here’s a description of Hamill at the Revolution 2018 conference (which, yes, also was at the Trump Hotel D.C.) from “At Trump’s hotel, spiritual warriors pray for the president Trump” by Jack Jenkins for Religions News service:
But last Friday afternoon (Dec. 7), one of the hotel’s many glimmering ballrooms was transformed into a sanctuary, where dozens of worshippers held their hands aloft and spoke in tongues as Jon Hamill, co-founder of Washington, D.C.-based Lamplighter Ministries, led the group in prayer.
Hamill—whom supporters describe as a prophet—closed his eyes tightly and shouted above the chattering: “In Jesus’ name, we declare the Deep State will not prevail!”
Notable sightings
A glimpse of the foreign officials, government employees, politicians, lobbyists, and the like who patronize or appear at Trump businesses. Most people shown here have reasons to want to influence the Trump administration, rely on its good graces for their livelihoods, or should be providing oversight. Additionally, high-profile guests serve as draws for paying customers.
While dining at the president’s D.C. hotel with important Congressmen, a lobbyist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, Cody Lyon, claimed he had a very cool chat with the president’s attorney.
A GOP candidate for a U.S. House seat in California, Omar Navarro, returned to a Trump property.
Pro–Trump activist Candace Owens’s new groom thanked Trump Winery for hosting their wedding. Trump Org EVP Eric Trump shared his love.
Actor Sylvester Stallone posed at Trump Bedminster with some of the president’s employees.
Jonathan Cain, formerly of Journey and currently married to Trump’s prosperity-gospel-preaching pastor Paula White-Cain, was at Trump Las Vegas.
Miss World, Ukraine, Anna Zaia, attended a “power leaders luncheon” at Trump Bedminster earlier this month.
Fox News pundit, political consultant, and Trump campaign advisor Harlan Hill was back at the Trump Hotel D.C. with Raheem Kassam, a former associate of Nigel Farage’s and Steve Bannon’s.
Other Trump Organization news
“Deutsche Bank does not have President Trump’s tax returns, court says” by David Enrich for The New York Times
“Trump’s Doonbeg golf resort granted planning for €38 million expansion” by Simon Carswell for The Irish Times. “No new foreign deals will be made whatsoever during the duration of President Trump’s presidency,” Trump Org attorney Sherri Dillon said on Jan. 11, 2017.
“Oral arguments in President Donald Trump’s Second Circuit appeal of the district court ruling in the lawsuit concerning his tax returns are set for October 23,” tweeted Erica Orden of CNN
A new New York State law making real-estate buyers’ names publicly available could affect the president’s businesses, noted Steve Reilly of USA Today
Yesterday, President Trump appointed loyal Trump Hotel D.C. customer (and former Secretary of Homeland Security) Kirstjen Nielsen to a new post (a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council).
Former Speaker of the House, husband of the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, and member of Trump’s Sterling, VA golf course, New Gingrich (R–GA) claimed Democrats’ investigation into the Trump Hotel D.C. was part of a coup.
“Trump Organization EVP Eric Trump: ‘People take cheap shots at us’” by Yahoo Finance Video
Yesterday a fake video went viral showing a Greenpeace banner hanging from the Trump Hotel Las Vegas, with “Betrayed and Murdered the Kurdish People” under the Trump name.
Per the Trump Hotel D.C.’s executive chef, Oliver Beckert, a customer enjoyed some expensive Dom Pérignon last evening.
Reference section
Links to rundowns of developments in the House’s investigations and lawsuits, reference sheets for some of 1100 Pennsylvania’s previous reporting, and a couple of articles that provide the background on why all of this matters.
House investigations (latest change Oct. 10, 2019)
Lawsuits (latest change Oct. 7, 2019)
Foreign governments with representatives spotted at the Trump Hotel D.C.: 29 (latest change Oct. 2, 2019)
Trump cabinet members spotted at the Trump Hotel D.C.: 25 of 33 (latest change Sept. 26, 2019)
U.S. Senators who’ve supported the Trump Hotel D.C.: 26 of 53 Republicans, one Democrat (latest change Aug. 1, 2019)
House Judiciary members who’ve supported the Trump Hotel D.C.: Seven of 17 Republicans, no Democrats (latest change Oct. 1, 2019)
House Oversight members who’ve supported the Trump Hotel D.C.: Six of 17 Republicans, no Democrats (latest change Sept. 26, 2019)
Breakdown of judges’ rulings by political party of presidents who nominated them in emoluments, unfair competition, and House committee investigations lawsuits (latest change Sept. 13, 2019)
Health inspections (latest change June 14, 2019)
The top stories showing how Trump has profited from his presidency via his D.C. hotel (published Sept. 27, 2019)
Rudy Giuliani at the Trump Hotel D.C: A retrospective (published April 30, 2019)
“Inside the world’s most controversial hotel: The hotel that was expected to take its place among the crown jewels of D.C.’s travel scene has become a magnet for protestors, a West Wing Annex, and—possibly—the center of a constitutional crisis.” by your correspondent for Condé Nast Traveler in May 2018
“Power tripping in the swamp: How Trump’s D.C. hotel swallowed Washington
The MAGA social scene is a movable feast, but its dark heart resides within the Old Post Office Building, where the Trump Org operates under a mercenary charter” by your correspondent for Vanity Fair in October 2019
Thanks for reading! If you like what you’ve read, tell someone. If you’ve been forwarded this newsletter, subscribe at 1100pennsylvania.substack.com. Questions? Read our FAQ. Tips or feedback? Contact Zach Everson at 1100Pennsylvania@protonmail.com (it’ll be encrypted if you also use a ProtonMail account, which is free) or via Signal (secure), SMS, or mobile at 202.804.2744.