RNC, super PAC drop $55k at Trump Hotel D.C. in November
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.
RNC, America First Action spent more than $55,000 at Trump’s D.C. hotel in November
The pro-Trump America First Action super PAC spent $31,169.53 at the president’s D.C. hotel in November 2018, while the Republican National Committee disbursed another $24,768.40 there that month according to the groups’ post-general election 2018 filings with the Federal Election Commission (America First Action here, RNC here).
With major backers including casino magnate Sheldon Anderson, coal company Murray Energy, and steel manufacturer Wheatland Steel, America First Action has spent at least $365,974.33 at the Pennsylvania Avenue property in the past two years.
The RNC’s disbursements brings its total disbursed at the Trump Hotel D.C. during that period to at least $391,830.50. In October 2018, Open Secrets reported that RNC spending at all Trump properties in the 2018 election cycle already totaled almost $1.5 million.
From America First Action super PAC’s filing:
And from the RNC’s filing:
GOP Oversight Committee staffer moves to GSA
In “GSA snags Republican OGR committee aide,” Keturah Hetrick reports for Legistorm that former a one-time staffer for now former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R–S.C.) on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Kevin Ortiz, is starting a new job this month as a congressional policy analyst at the GSA. [H/T Lachlan Markay of The Daily Beast].
The Trump Organization, of course, leases the Old Post Office from the GSA. In the last Congress, 18 Democrats on the Oversight Committee unsuccessfully sued the GSA for its communications with the Trump Organization about the hotel during the presidential transition.
Noteworthy sightings
Long-shot candidate for the Democratic party’s 2020 presidential nomination, West Virginia state senator Richard Ojeda posted a video from in front of the Trump Hotel D.C. yesterday criticizing the government for funding the Old Post Office tower during the government shutdown (see yesterday’s 1100 Pennsylvania for more info on that transaction).
Correspondents for conservative Blaze TV (best known as the new home of Eric Bolling, a Trump Hotel D.C. regular), Jon Miller and Jordan Schnachtel, plotted world domination
Legal cases, current status (latest change, Dec. 27, 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 were scheduled for March 19–21, but 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.
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
“A former employee of the Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey said that her name was removed from a list of workers to be vetted by the Secret Service after she reminded management that she was unlawfully in the United States…The Bedminster golf club has recently terminated several workers who were determined to be ineligible to work in the country.” By Miriam Jordan for The New York Times.
“House Democrats unveil bill targeting Trump on tax returns and transparency” by Mike DeBonis for The Washington Post
The Palm Beach Policeman’s Ball returns to Mar-a-Lago this Saturday. The invitation-only event is sold out.
“Trump’s sons are running the business—and their big hotel expansion is at a standstill” by Jonathan O’Connell and Justin Vicroy for The Washington Post
While Trump Organization EVPs Don Jr. and Eric Trump claimed to be walled off from their father’s administration, their names were on at least nine of the president’s campaign’s fundraising emails in 2018. (Via @TrumpFundraisingEmails, a must-follow.)
“House Democrats might unearth documents suggesting that the Trump Organisation was used to launder Russian money. What then?” By The Economist.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a conflict-of-interest complaint against Ivanka Trump for participating “in the Trump administration’s implementation of a new tax law authorizing the Opportunity Zones program while her spouse, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President Jared Kushner, held significant financial interests in an entity benefiting from that program.” Read the complaint.
The website for Trump’s planned building in Uruguay is having issues, per David Fahrenthold of The Washington Post
One thing that has nothing to do with Trump’s businesses (I think, tough to tell sometimes!)
“‘No one is at the controls’: How Facebook, Amazon, and others are turning life into a horrific Bradbury novel” by Nick Bilton for Vanity Fair
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.