Pro-life nonprofit hosting $500 and up fundraising ball
Pro-life nonprofit hosting $500 and up fundraising ball
Welcome to 1100 Pennsylvania, a newsletter devoted to President Donald Trump’s Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C. (and his other companies). President Trump, of course, still owns his businesses and can profit from them.
If you like what you see, tell someone—and support this work by paying for a subscription. If you’ve been forwarded this newsletter, subscribe for yourself at zacheverson.substack.com. Tips or feedback? Contact me, Zach Everson, securely via email at 1100Pennsylvania@protonmail.com or on Signal at 202.804.2744.
Pro-life Save the Storks plans $500/plate fundraiser
On Jan. 17, nonprofit Save the Storks is holdings its second annual charity ball at the Trump Hotel D.C. Tickets for the event, which is hosted by actors Kirk and Chelsea Cameron, cost $500 to $6,000 per person. Platinum sponsorships also include a two-night stay and one private breakfast reception at the pro-life president’s hotel.
Save the Storks claims that at last year’s event, which was hosted at the Museum of the Bible, it received $1.5 million in financial commitments.
Featured guests this year include Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman, author and radio host Eric Metaxas, podcaster Allie Stuckey, and Christian communicator Buck Lenz (yeah, I’ve never heard of any of them either).
According to the organization, “Each ticket level purchase (bronze, gold, platinum) is tax-deductible, minus the dinner cost. Gold and platinum tickets offer additional VIP benefits which will be deducted from the tax-deductible portion of the ticket purchase.”
Lunch honoring Lara Trump draws lobbyists, RNC staffers, NASA employee to Trump Hotel
From Politico Playbook on Jan. 8, 2019:
SPOTTED at a lunch hosted by Lisa Spies honoring Lara Trump in the Franklin Study at the Trump Hotel: Fara Klein, Samantha Dravis, Anita McBride, Lauren Rakolta, Lauren Kirshner, Sylvie Ricketts, Sara Fagen, Merlynn Carson, Jan Elizabeth Acosta, Morgan Ortagus and Bettina Inclán Agen.
Let’s look at what these celebrants of the president’s advisor/wife of hotel co-owner Eric likely do for a living:
Lara Trump is a senior campaign advisor to President Trump (a hotel co-owner) and the wife of Trump Org EVP (a hotel co-owner), Eric Trump.
Lisa Spies is a political fundraiser.
Fara Klein is a lobbyist for the American Forest & Paper Association.
Samantha Dravis was the EPA’s senior counsel and associate administrator in the office of policy (a Trump political appointee) before resigning after Sen. Tom Carper (D–OH) asked the EPA’s inspector general to review her time and attendance for potential fraud, according to CBS News.
Anita McBride worked in three presidential administrations and currently is an executive-in-residence at American University.
Lauren Rakolta is a GOP fundraiser and niece of RNC chair Ronna McDaniel.
Lauren Kirshner was an RNC staffer as of 2013.
Sylvie Ricketts is the wife of the RNC finance chair.
Sara Fagen was the political director for President George W. Bush and is now a partner at public affairs firm DDC.
Merlynn Carson is the CEO of government contractor Myriddian and the daughter-in-law of HUD Secretary Ben Carson.
Jan Elizabeth Acosta is the wife of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta.
Morgan Ortagus is the co-founder and managing director of business consultancy Global Opportunity Advisors and the co-chair of the conservative Maverick PAC.
Bettina Inclán Agen is the communications director for NASA (fun fact: her mother, a one-time candidate for Congress, claims she was abducted by aliens).
Noteworthy sightings
Florida State Rep. Kathleen Mick Peters (R), in town for Rick Scott’s (R) swearing in as a U.S. Senator, got her night off to a great start with Trump champagne at Trump’s hotel.
Yesterday President Trump retweeted Turning Point USA’s founder and president Charlie Kirk four times. Also yesterday: this photo of Kirk at the president’s hotel was posted on Instagram.
Rand Paul’s chief political strategist, Doug Stafford, promoted Angel’s Envy from the hotel bar (it’s a good bourbon but you can do better at that price point).
A shutdown ransom note was posted in front of the hotel (and has been posted several times on Instagram).
Conservative pundit Paris Dennard continues to promote the president’s business.
Legal cases, current status (latest change, Jan. 8, 2018)
D.C. and MD attorneys general’s emoluments lawsuit (district court docket, appellate court docket)—
Official capacity—On Dec. 20, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled it would hear the president’s appeal of district court rulings that allowed the case to proceed to discovery, and the appellate court halted discovery in the case. Oral augments on the appeal are tentatively scheduled for March 19–21, although on Dec. 26 the briefing schedule was suspended until further notice after Trump’s DoJ attorneys asked for a stay because of the federal government shutdown. (Discovery had started Dec. 3 and was scheduled to run through Aug. 2, 2019, with the AGs already having issued 38 subpoenas, including to the Trump Organization; the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, and Treasury and the GSA; and the state of Maine.)
Individual capacity—On Dec. 14, Trump’s personal attorneys appealed the denial of their motion to dismiss the case, also to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. On Dec. 19, the AGs replied to Trump’s motion for a stay pending that appeal by voluntarily dismissing the claims against Trump in his “individual capacity to allow the claims against President Trump in his official capacity to move forward expeditiously.” (The AGs only brought suit against Trump in his individual capacity after the judge suggested they do so.) Trump’s personal attorneys, on Dec. 21, opposed the motion to dismiss at the district level, saying the appeals court now has jurisdiction and accusing the AGs of “gamesmanship.”
196 Democratic senators and representatives’ emoluments lawsuit—On Sept. 28 judge Emmet G. Sullivan ruled that the legislators have standing to sue. Trump’s Justice Department attorneys filed an interlocutory appeal on Oct. 22.
CREW et. al’s emoluments lawsuit—In February, CREW appealed its suit being dismissed for lack of standing to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Oral arguments on that motion were held on Oct. 30.
Cork’s unfair competition lawsuit—Judge Richard J. Leon dismissed the case on Nov. 26, writing “Cork has failed to state a claim for unfair competition under D.C. law.” On Dec. 10, Cork’s attorneys filed a notice of appeal and they have a basic statement of issues due this week.
Employees’ class-action suit alleging racial discrimination—A status hearing on arbitration is scheduled for Jan. 25, 2019.
Health inspections, current status (latest change, Aug. 10, 2018)
❌Hotel: five violations on May 7, 2018; two were corrected on site
❌BLT Prime and Benjamin Bar: nine violations on Aug. 10, 2018
❌Sushi Nakazawa: two violations on Aug. 10, 2018
✔️Banquet kitchen: no violations on Aug. 10, 2018
❌Pastry kitchen: two violations on Aug. 10, 2018
✔️Gift shop: no violations on May 7, 2018
❌Employee kitchen and in-room dining: five violations on Aug. 10, 2018; two were corrected on site
Other Trump Organization news
“China’s biggest bank, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., plans to reduce its space in Trump Tower when its lease runs out in October, people with knowledge of the matter said, creating a potential headache for the Trump Organization.” By Bloomberg.
Trump Winery was one of 48 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice picks for the Richmond, Virginia area
One thing that has nothing to do with Trump’s businesses (I think, tough to tell sometimes!)
Former Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS) deployed some sophisticated Twitter maneuvering, deactivating his campaign account and then using its name to rechristen his official Congressional one.
The move means every Twitter user who followed Yoder as a member of Congress has been converted to a follower of a personal account—an account he could deploy as a campaign tool should he chose to run for office again. Yoder’s been mentioned as a possible option to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Pat Roberts (R–KS).
[H/T the Congress Changes Twitter bot]
Thanks for reading. If you like what you saw, tell someone—and support this work by paying for a subscription. If you’ve been forwarded this newsletter, subscribe for yourself at zacheverson.substack.com. Tips or feedback? Contact me, Zach Everson, securely via email at 1100Pennsylvania@protonmail.com or on Signal at 202.804.2744.