Public Citizen Report the Art of the Self Deal
Political and Taxpayer Spending at Trump'due south Properties
By Alan Zibel
During his brief political career, Donald Trump has non been bashful about mixing individual profit with campaign or government business. Trump himself mused in a 2000 interview with Fortune: "It's very possible that I could be the first presidential candidate to run and make coin on it."
While Trump did non turn a profit on his campaign, his businesses have received millions. Trump, his entrada and Republican political committees have directed millions in campaign and public money to Trump'south own hotels , airplanes , restaurants , golf courses and even a bottled water company.
Public Citizen has compiled all known records of political and federal taxpayer spending at Trump properties and businesses in the U.S. Nosotros found that President Trump's U.South. businesses have raked in $xv.1 meg in revenue from political groups likewise as federal agencies during his campaign and presidency. About 90 percent of the spending, or $13.two million, came from Trump's ain campaign. In addition, more than than $717,000 came from the Republican National Commission and nearly $595,000 from Trump Victory, the joint fundraising committee set up by Trump's entrada and the RNC. Well-nigh $160,000 came from Republican candidates and conservative political groups, according to Public Citizen's assay.
Trump's propensity for travel to his own resorts and dining at his own restaurants has resulted in considerable spending of tax dollars at Trump-owned backdrop. Yet it is hard to assess precisely how much coin has been spent, as information about spending past federal agencies at Trump properties is only starting to trickle out.
Known Political and Federal Spending at Trump U.Due south. Businesses
| Twelvemonth | Total |
|---|---|
| Thousand total | $xv,140,410 |
| 2015 Political spending | $ii,554,565 |
| 2016 Political spending | $10,922,919 |
| 2017 Political spending | $1,068,595 |
| 2018 Political spending | $387,784 |
| All political spending | $14,933,863 |
| Defense Department | $138,093 |
| Secret Service | $64,090 |
| Other federal spending | $4,364 |
| Total federal spending | $206,547 |
| Year | Total |
|---|---|
| 2015 Political spending | $two,554,565 |
| 2016 Political spending | $10,922,919 |
| 2017 Political spending | $1,068,595 |
| 2018 Political spending | $387,784 |
| All political spending | $14,933,863 |
| Defense Department | $138,093 |
| Secret Service | $64,090 |
| Other federal spending | $4,364 |
| Total federal spending | $206,547 |
| K full | $fifteen,140,410 |
Source: Public Denizen analysis of Federal Election Committee data, federal agency records obtained from FOIA requests by Public Denizen, Belongings of the People.
X Largest Political Spenders at Trump U.S. Businesses, 2015-2018
| Group | Spending | Percentage of full |
|---|---|---|
| Donald J. Trump for President Inc. | $ 13,421,148 | 89.9% |
| Republican National Commission | $ 717,263 | 4.eight% |
| Trump Victory | $ 594,241 | four.0% |
| America First Action Inc. | $ 32,619 | 0.2% |
| Bill Shuster for Congress | $ 25,609 | 0.2% |
| Great America Committee | $ 23,675 | 0.2% |
| Texans for Jodey Arrington | $ 16,603 | 0.1% |
| Macarthur Victory | $ 15,221 | 0.1% |
| Rohrabacher for Congress | $ 12,545 | 0.1% |
| National Republican Senate Committee | $ 9,171 | 0.1% |
| Group | Spending | Percent of total |
|---|---|---|
| Donald J. Trump for President Inc. | $ xiii,421,148 | 89.9% |
| Republican National Committee | $ 717,263 | 4.8% |
| Trump Victory | $ 594,241 | 4.0% |
| America First Action Inc. | $ 32,619 | 0.2% |
| Bill Shuster for Congress | $ 25,609 | 0.2% |
| Great America Committee | $ 23,675 | 0.2% |
| Texans for Jodey Arrington | $ sixteen,603 | 0.1% |
| Macarthur Victory | $ 15,221 | 0.1% |
| Rohrabacher for Congress | $ 12,545 | 0.i% |
| National Republican Senate Committee | $ 9,171 | 0.ane% |
Source: Public Denizen analysis of Federal Election Committee data 2015-2018.
This pattern of loftier levels of spending at Trump-owned businesses became clear during Trump's presidential campaign, which was launched in the Trump Tower vestibule in New York. Trump's company leased function space to his entrada. Campaign events were stocked with Trump-branded water and vino from Trump son Eric. The Daily Animate being aptly summed up this shameless practise with the spring 2016 headline: " Donald Trump is Paying Himself to Run for President ."
Public Citizen's analysis constitute that more than $9.two 1000000 in political spending, or more than 60 pct, went to Tag Air Inc., which controls Trump's757 aeroplane, customized with gold-plated bath faucets and seat belts. The Wall Street Periodical reported in Dec 2016 that this plane is owned by a Trump-owned company, DJT Operations I LLC, which leases the shipping to Tag Air. The Journal noted that this ownership strategy is ofttimes used by jet owners to avert paying up-front sales taxes and instead pay sales revenue enhancement on charter payments. According to Politico, the Trump entrada was eligible for reimbursements from the Secret Service to comprehend air travel costs for agents that protected the candidate.
Trump U.Southward. Businesses Receiving Political Spending, Ranked By Spending Corporeality, 2015-2018
| Recipient | Spending | Percent of full |
|---|---|---|
| Tag Air Inc. | $9,252,770 | 62% |
| Trump Tower Commercial LLC | $2,488,114 | 17% |
| Trump International Hotel Washington DC | $640,089 | four% |
| The Mar-A-Lago Club LLC | $498,149 | 3% |
| Trump National Doral Miami | $299,755 | 2% |
| Trump International Hotel Las Vegas | $279,400 | two% |
| Trump Restaurants LLC | $251,161 | 2% |
| The Trump Corporation | $227,010 | 2% |
| Trump Payroll Corp. | $202,014 | i% |
| Trump Plaza LLC | $156,850 | ane% |
| Recipient | Spending | Pct of full |
|---|---|---|
| Tag Air Inc. | $nine,252,770 | 62% |
| Trump Tower Commercial LLC | $2,488,114 | 17% |
| Trump International Hotel Washington DC | $640,089 | 4% |
| The Mar-A-Lago Club LLC | $498,149 | iii% |
| Trump National Doral Miami | $299,755 | ii% |
| Trump International Hotel Las Vegas | $279,400 | two% |
| Trump Restaurants LLC | $251,161 | two% |
| The Trump Corporation | $227,010 | 2% |
| Trump Payroll Corp. | $202,014 | 1% |
| Trump Plaza LLC | $156,850 | 1% |
Source: Public Citizen analysis of Federal Election Commission information 2015-2018.
Known Federal Agency Spending at Trump U.South. Businesses
| Bureau | Dollar amount |
|---|---|
| Defense force Section | $138,093 |
| Secret Service | $64,090 |
| General Services Administration | $1760 |
| U.Southward. Embassies | $1,264 |
| White House National Security Council | $i,092 |
| Agency proper name unknown | $248 |
| Full | $206,547 |
| Agency | Dollar amount |
|---|---|
| Defense Department | $138,093 |
| Secret Service | $64,090 |
| Full general Services Administration | $1760 |
| U.S. Embassies | $ane,264 |
| White Firm National Security Council | $1,092 |
| Agency name unknown | $248 |
| Total | $206,547 |
Sources: Public Denizen tally of Underground Service records for Feb-April 2017, Defence Department records obtained through FOIA and tallied by Property of the People. GSA documents, other records obtained through FOIA by Property of the People.
Afterward the ballot, a Trump presidential transition staffer raised the prospect of using public money to pay for a transition squad lease at Trump Tower, writing "Can we get the details once more of how to pay for a lease of Trump Tower in NYC?" to a federal official, co-ordinate to a report by the Center for Public Integrity. Trump'south countdown commission, meanwhile, raised a tape $107 million from corporate donors and rich individuals and paid nearly $26 million to an event-planning firm founded past a friend of Melania Trump, the beginning lady.
During Trump'due south presidency, presidential excursions to Trump properties in Florida, New Bailiwick of jersey and Virginia have become commonplace, leading to government spending at Trump'southward backdrop, as well as considerable bills for golf cart rentals.
Unfortunately, there is no single repository of how much coin federal agencies spend at Trump backdrop.Federal agencies have started to disclose some travel records equally a result of requests filed under the Liberty of Information Act. The Hole-and-corner Service, responding to records requests by Public Citizen and other organizations, has released some information on spending at Trump's Florida backdrop during early 2017. Other FOIA requests by Belongings of the People take unearthed invoices and other information.
The relationship between Trump's businesses and the U.S. government hasn't been without disharmonize. Ane dispute between a Trump business organisation and the federal government spilled into public view final fall, when the Washington Post reported that the Underground Service left its command post inside Trump Tower on Fifth Artery in Manhattan later a dispute about lease terms. That Secret Service was relocated to a trailer on the street.
Now that Trump is president, Republican candidates for various political offices have been belongings numerous fundraisers at Trump properties — locations that were hardly hotbeds of political activity before Trump's foray into politics. (Combined political spending at Trump properties at 2013 and 2014 was less than $20,000.)
A Feb 2017 invoice issued to Secret Service by Trump's Mar-A-Lago Club
As Trump ramps up his 2020 reelection campaign , spending from the Republican Political party is probable to go along growing. The Republican National Committee has been covering the $37,000 per month cost of the Trump campaign's New York part space, since September 2017, according to a CNBC report . That organisation appears to be legal and properly disclosed, just even so highly unusual. "I would retrieve the RNC could be spending their money more than effectively right now on the 2018 entrada, rather than spending it to pay Trump'southward hire." Brendan Fischer, senior counsel for the Campaign Legal Eye, told CNBC.
Trump'southward properties, particularly his hotel in Washington, have hosted dozens of conferences, dinners — from the American Petroleum Establish to the Baton Graham Evangelistic Association to a conference for the vaping manufacture But except from rare cases, such every bit a $270,000 event held past the Kingdom of saudi arabia, the amount of money spent at those events is hidden from public view.
The Trump Organization, which runs Trump's businesses, attempted to abate concerns nigh foreign influence on the Trump administration past donating profits from foreign governments. Earlier this twelvemonth, the company wrote a $151,470 cheque to the U.Southward. Treasury. However, company officials released no details nearly how they made this calculation, or which governments have been patronizing Trump properties.
Americans' justifiably pessimism most Washington, D.C. helped propel Trump into White House. But rather than fix our government, Trump's penchant for self-dealing has validated as of the public's disenchantment with our nation's leaders.
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Source: https://www.citizen.org/news/art-of-the-self-deal/
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