Republican National Committee To Hold Annual Meeting At Trump’s Doral Resort
[guest post by Dana]
Is anyone surprised? It looks like one way or the other, President Trump may see a financial turnaround at his underperforming hotel.
Last we heard, the President had selected Doral as the location for the 2020 G7 summit. After reasonable people concerned with the bad optics, and ethical and legal issues criticized the selection, the President reversed course. But not to worry, the RNC to the rescue!
The Republican National Committee will hold their annual winter meeting at President Donald Trump’s National Doral Miami resort in Florida, CNN has learned.
The move comes one month after Trump abruptly reversed his decision to host next year’s G7 summit at the same property in south Florida, following criticism from both parties. A spokesman for the RNC said the contract to hold the meeting at Doral was signed in March.
RNC staff sent an email to members Thursday with a link urging members to book rooms at the Trump National Doral for the late January summit.
Since Trump took office, the Trump Organization has profited nicely from Republicans. Clearly the RNC isn’t seriously concerned about conflicts of interest or bad optics:
The RNC has a history of hosting events and fundraisers at Trump-owned properties. When asked by CNN in 2018 about RNC spending at Trump properties, an RNC official said donors enjoy visiting Trump properties, and also pointed to security, convenience and price as factors in the committee’s decision-making. The official added that Trump properties are often cheaper to rent than other venues, noting that the Federal Election Commission demands the RNC receive market rates.
The RNC has spent more than $1.5 million at Trump-owned properties since 2015, according to a CNN analysis of FEC data, though an official said they typically do not hold RNC meetings and retreats at Trump properties, pointing to spending at Four Seasons hotels.
“The media is obsessed with our spending at Trump properties and has covered it ad nauseam. As we have stated multiple times, we continue to hold events at them because they have fantastic service and secure spaces that fit our needs,” Michael Ahrens, a spokesman for the RNC, said in a statement to CNN.
Trump has maintained ownership of his international business empire while ostensibly handing over control to his two sons. Nonetheless, it would appear that concerns about his profiting off of the presidency were well founded.
“I could actually run my business and run government at the same time. I don’t like the way that looks, but I would be able to do that if I wanted to,”
[Ed. Yes, we all know that Trump was not the President in 2015.]
(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)
–Dana
Good morning.
Dana (cb74ca) — 11/15/2019 @ 7:13 amA percentage of every dollar donated to Trump’s campaign or to the national Republicans is headed straight to Trump’s pocket and that of his family. I assume trump supporters are ok with this because they don’t actually see a difference between Trump’s personal financial interests and that of the Republican party or, for that matter, the country.
Victor (4355e3) — 11/15/2019 @ 8:23 amTrump loyalists: Trump is *the* Republican party. It’s unsurprising that Trump believes that he could actually run his business and run government at the same time… but would be able to do that if he wanted… As if conflicts of interest, pesky clauses and matters of law don’t apply to him. I think his loyal supporters also believe that. Clearly the RNC does.
Dana (cb74ca) — 11/15/2019 @ 8:59 amThis is hilarious.
Time123 (36651d) — 11/15/2019 @ 10:15 amA few hundred thousand dollars a year, gross. I bet that Trump flies down to take all those profits to the bank himself.
There are lots of reasons to disapprove of Trump without getting at petty as he is.
Kevin M (19357e) — 11/15/2019 @ 11:35 amMr. tallyman, tallyman, tally me banana
Penny be on sidewalk
Me wan pick up
Rich jerkoffs don’t become rich jerkoffs by thinking any amount is too small to chase after in the first place, and what are we, a banana republic or something?
nk (9651fb) — 11/15/2019 @ 2:05 pmI don’t know why this surprises anyone. The RNC has as much bad taste in selecting hotel resorts as it does in nominating candidates.
I’m waiting to see how the Supreme Court will rule on Trump’s subpoenaed tax records, assuming it will agrees to take the case at all. Chief Justice Roberts has made it a priority for the Supreme court not appear to be politicized, and this case is about as hot a political potato as it gets.
The problem is it’s not just the SDNY requesting the tax returns, it’s several congressional committees as well. Rule on one, rule on them all. Decline to hear one, decline to hear them all. That’s what we call a twisted pickle.
If Roberts’s intention is for the Supreme Court to not appear to be politicized, but rather perceived to be impartial, what to do? Agreeing to hear the case would require each justice to render a decision on record, and explain that decision, all of which would be deemed political. Declining to hear the case will also be deemed political, as each judges vote will be recorded. It’s lose-lose either way.
Of course, justices have life-time appointments, so it really shouldn’t matter to them. But it does. They want to appear impartial and reasoned in every ruling, but they cannot in a politically charged case. It’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation.
In this hyper-partisan, highly polarized era, can any ruling be seen as impartial? When the rule of law no longer matters, then there is no law and no rule, just partisan bickering and hyperventilating.
Gawain's Ghost (b25cd1) — 11/15/2019 @ 3:45 pmI am not a Republican, so how the Party chooses to wsste its money is no business of mine.
Government money will be spent on security and other matters, but that would simply be money spent here and not there (as opposed to money not spent at all.)
Kishnevi (b1c03d) — 11/15/2019 @ 4:24 pmInteresting: Doral wasn’t on the final list of possible sites that the Secret Service had provided after they approved of location and security:
Dana (cb74ca) — 11/15/2019 @ 7:59 pmTrump is worth billions. He’s donating his salary to charity. He doesn’t need a couple million from hosting the RNC. Odd Democrat/never trumper attitudes:
1) Haha our boycotts and his unpopularity are costing Trump’s $Millions!
rcocean (1a839e) — 11/15/2019 @ 10:09 pm2) Trump is trying to make money off being President.
Trump is not worth billions. That’s the amount of debt he’s carrying. Why do you think he keeps trying to direct meetings to his failing hotels? He’s using taxpayer funds to redirect military personnel to his failing resorts in Ireland, for crying out loud. Why? Because if he didn’t, they’d be on the verge of bankruptcy.
If you think Trump is donating his salary to charity, you’re a fool. That’s like saying the Trump Foundation actually made donations to charity and veterans. It was shut down for fraud and fined $2 million.
Gawain's Ghost (b25cd1) — 11/15/2019 @ 10:25 pm10. Billions, huh? There’s no way to know that except what he tells us. You may trust him, but I sure don’t
Gryph (08c844) — 11/16/2019 @ 1:23 am#11 That’s your opinion. and to use a media phase “without evidence”. But its the standard talking point, so there’s that.
rcocean (1a839e) — 11/16/2019 @ 3:59 amto use the media phrase “without evidence”
Such as tax returns.
nk (9651fb) — 11/16/2019 @ 4:42 amThe problem with playing the billionaire with borrowed money is whom the money is borrowed from. For example, Deutsche Bank whose depositors are Russian racketeers. (We can talk about covering up the massacre of 58 people for Las Vegas racketeers and the murder of Epstein to cover for rich pedos some other time.)
nk (9651fb) — 11/16/2019 @ 4:50 amHe is not donating his salary to charity or anybody else, BTW. He is donating money which he claims be his take-home pay to federal agencies such as the Park Service which … guess what? you won’t in a million years …. operates the public portions of the White House. He’s tipping his own staff. When rich jerkoffs spend money it’s either to make more money or to acquire other possessions, such as private planes, Rolls Royces, and Slovenian models.
nk (9651fb) — 11/16/2019 @ 5:18 amjealousy
mg (ebf6c2) — 11/16/2019 @ 7:35 amJust google it. Trump’s donating his salary.
rcocean (1a839e) — 11/16/2019 @ 8:21 am“Just Google it.”
I was wrong about the Park Service. He is donating differing amounts to several other government agencies as what he claims to be donating his salary. In fairness, he has to do it this way. The Constitution requires the government to cut him a check. But it’s not to charity.
nk (9651fb) — 11/16/2019 @ 8:38 am