Shutdown helps Trump set abstinence record
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. Questions? Read our FAQ/manifesto. Tips or feedback? Contact me, Zach Everson, securely via email at 1100Pennsylvania@protonmail.com or on Signal at 202.804.2744.
Shutdown puts Trump in record drought of not visiting one of his properties
President Trump is currently in the midst of his longest stretch without visiting one of his properties since becoming president. Per 1100 Pennsylvania’s records, he last stepped foot in a Trump Organization business on Nov. 25—50 days ago—when he golfed at Palm Beach and left Mar-a-Lago after a Thanksgiving stay.
The government shutdown, of course, scuppered Trump’s plans for a 16-day vacation at Mar-a-Lago, with golf outings to Trump Palm Beach, in late December and early January.
Senator asks GSA, Interior for info on decision to re-open Old Post Office tower during shutdown
On Thursday, Sen. Gary Peters (D–MI) sent a letter to the Department of the Interior and the General Services Administration seeking details about the decision to re-open the Old Post Office tower despite the government shutdown. The tower, of course, is in the same building as the president’s D.C. hotel.
Wrote Peters:
While GSA has authority to transfer funds to NPS under certain conditions, the lengths to which to your agencies have gone to open the tower facility within a Trump business enterprise have raised public concerns that the tower may be receiving special treatment, in light of a shutdown that has left 800,000 federal workers furloughed or working without pay and crippled our national parks.
Chicago hotel donates free meeting space to a security and law-enforcement study group
Trump’s Chicago hotel has donated free meeting rooms and parking spaces to the Chicago chapter of a security and law-enforcement professional group.
ASIS, “a worldwide organization dedicated to strengthening the global security landscape,” has scheduled 12 weekly study groups to help attendees pass its certified protection professional, professional certified investigator, and physical security professional exams. Those licensees “conveys to your peers, employees, and employer that you possess substantial, relevant experience as well as demonstrated and tested competence.”
According to study-group organizer, P.J. Jordan, classroom space previously had been donated by Axis Communications, the Chicago Police Academy, the Field Museum, the Illinois Holocaust Museum, and McDonald’s Hamburger University. “The meeting room space is large enough to accommodate 10 to 20 attendees,” Jordan wrote in an email.
Also, according to the group’s event page, “There is no cost for attendance or parking (**Unless the Secret Service secures our parking area for a last-minute POTUS project**).”
Jordan and the other contact listed on the event page, a Chicago Police Department sergeant, did not answer a question asking if there were any specific “last-minute POTUS projects” they were anticipating.
Flashback to Border Patrol Foundation dinner
With The Washington Post reporting that President Trump is trying to enlist Border Patrol agents in his political fight over the wall, let’s remember that the agents also have taken steps to ingratiate themselves with the president. In October 2018, the Border Patrol Foundation had its annual recognition dinner at the Trump Hotel D.C. From 2015 through 2017, the dinner was held across the street at the JW Marriott.
The CBP's commissioner, Kevin McAleenan, and deputy chief, Scott Luck, were the featured speakers at the president’s hotel.
Noteworthy sightings
A lobbyist for “U.S. and international corporations and other countries,” Edwina Rogers had dinner with “anonymous mystery guests” at the president’s hotel.
After discovering that God was alive on Capitol Hill, University Conservative staff writer Garrett Smith visited the president’s hotel with the director of Christian ministry Hope to the Hill, Nathan Kistler.
Hotel managing director, Mickael Dameincourt, made a gif to chastise travel bloggers looking for freebies. Well, at least those bloggers who hadn’t already mentioned his hotel.
Reportedly in town to watch her cousin sworn in as a U.S. Senator, this Trip Advisor reviewer loved her stay at the president’s hotel.
Russian Mix’s calendar of Russian Washington, D.C. events now includes the Virginia Women for Trump’s summit and gala.
Legal cases, current status (latest change, Jan. 11, 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 on Jan. 10 they submitted a statement of issues to be raised. The next steps, which don’t yet have a timeline, include a briefing schedule being set and both sides filing appellate briefs.
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
“The Trump Organization has hired a lawyer who formerly worked in the White House Counsel’s Office to handle the expected onslaught of investigations from House Democrats, according to people familiar with the matter.” By Rebecca Ballhaus and Vivian Salama for The Wall Street Journal.
The Trump Organization is investing yet more money in its Turnberry golf course, this time to refurbish 113-year-old cottages.
One thing that has nothing to do with Trump’s businesses (I think, tough to tell sometimes!
The son of Rudy Giuliani, Andrew Giuliani works in the White House as the public liaison to President Trump. The most recent account Andrew followed on Twitter: award-winning adult actress, Ella Hughes.
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. Questions? Read our FAQ/manifesto. Tips or feedback? Contact me, Zach Everson, securely via email at 1100Pennsylvania@protonmail.com or on Signal at 202.804.2744.