'Conflict of interest concerns': House investigating increased military spending at Trump's Turnberry resort
By: Christal Hayes - USA Today - 9-7-19
RE:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...se/2245245001/
WASHINGTON – Democrats on a House panel are investigating increased military spending at President Donald Trump's struggling golf resort at Turnberry in Scotland, according to a newly discovered letter.
The June letter sent from the House Oversight Committee to then-acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, which was obtained by USA TODAY and first published by Politico on Friday evening, details the months-long investigation into military spending at the resort, which the committee says "increased substantially since the election."
Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., note in the letter that from October 2017 to June of this year, there have been 629 purchase orders for fuel at the nearby Glasgow Prestwick Airport, totaling $11 million. The airport, which the Democrats note is integral to the resort's financial success, has also struggled financially in recent years and is in the midst of being sold, according to the BBC.
Politico noted that U.S. military refueling at the airport is not typical and likely more expensive as fuel is cheaper at military bases compared with commercial airports. The outlet notes that bases in Germany, Spain, Italy and even a base in the U.K., which was the closest to the Scotland resort, have been used more typically for refueling on overseas missions.
The letter also cites a Guardian article detailing that the airport has offered rooms at Trump's resort for a lower price to military members, along with free rounds of golf. In 2017, the resort lost $4.5 million, the Washington Post reported, but the following year revenue went up $3 million, notes Politico.
"Given the President's continued financial stake in his Scotland golf course, these reports raise questions about the President's potential receipt of U.S. or foreign government emoluments in violation of the U.S. Constitution and raise other serious conflict of interest concerns," the letter states.
The House panel requested a variety of documents from the Department of Defense, including all communications between the department and officials working at the resort or linked to it.
But the committee hasn't received any documents in the months since the letter was sent. The administration has consistently pushed back on House investigations and resisted complying with such requests, which has forced Democrats to ask the courts to intervene.
"The Defense Department has not produced a single document in this investigation," a senior Democratic committee aide said on Saturday. "The Committee will be forced to consider alternative steps if the Pentagon does not begin complying voluntarily in the coming days."
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Losses report on Trumps Scotland Resort:
ELLIAH F. CUMMINGS. MARYLAND ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS JIM JORDAN. OHIO
CHAIRMAN RANKING MINORITY MEMBER
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COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND REFORM
2157 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON, DC 20515?6143
Mauomzv (202) 225?5051
MINORITV (2021 925?5074
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June 21,2019
The Honorable Patrick M, Shanahan
Acting Secretary
U.S. Department of Defense
1400 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC. 20301
Dear Acting Secretary Shanahan:
The Committee is investigating President Donald Trump?s potential con?icts of interest
stemming from his continued stake in foreign businesses, the accuracy of his federal ?nancial
reporting about those businesses, and his potential receipt of emoluments in violation of the U.S.
Constitution.I
Two years before the 2016 election, President Trump spent hundreds of millions of
dollars to purchase and renovate the Tumberry golf course in Scotland.2 To date, the property
has continued to suffer ?nancial losses and has not turned a pro?t for the President or his
companies.3
The airport closest to the Trump Tumberry golf course?Glasgow Prestwick Airport?
has been viewed as integral to the golf course?s ?nancial success, yet it too has lost millions of
dollars every year since its purchase by the Scottish government in 2013.4 Just last week, on
June 13, the Scottish government announced its intention to sell the debt-ridden airport.5
U.S. Const., art. 11, 1, cl. 7 (prohibiting the President from receiving ?any other Emolument from the
United States? other than an of?cial salary); U.S. Const., art. I, 9, cl. 8 (prohibiting the President from receiving,
?without the Consent of Congress any present, Emolument, Of?ce, or Title, of any kind whatever, ?'om any
King, Prince, or foreign State?).
2 Where Did Donald Trump Get Two Hundred Million Dollars to Buy His Money?Losing Scottish Golf
Club?, The New Yorker (July 13, 2018) (online at
3 Trump ?3 Scotland Golf ourse Lost $4.5 Million in 201 7, New Report Says, Washington Post (Oct. 4,
2018) (online at
says/201 8/10/04/3821 aa66-c7lb-l le8-b2b5 -79270f90ce 7b3 642).
4No Timescale for Prestwick Airport to Pay Back Government Loans, The Scotsman (Jan. 16, 2019) (online
at
1-4857501).
5 Publicly-Owned Prestwick Airport Put Up for Sale, British Broadcasting Corporation (June 13, 2019)
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The president and the Trump Organization have been criticized repeatedly over reports detailing foreign nationals staying at the properties. That has intensified recently as Trump boasted that he wanted to hold the G-7 Summit at his Doral resort in Miami and questions about Vice President Mike Pence's recent stay at Trump's Ireland resort.
But this would be the first time questions have been raised about whether the military was helping boost profits for Trump's business.
The investigation is just one of many led by House Democrats since taking the majority in the 2018 elections. Among the list of other issues liberals are examining: the separation of migrant families at the southern U.S. border, Trump's personal tax returns, the addition of a citizenship question on the Census and hush-money payments to two women who alleged affairs with the president.
Trump once again uses his position to improve his personal family wealth at the expense of the US Tax Payers. This is illegal. His staff should have informed him that prior to any arrangements.
Why hasn't any meetings been held a Camp David - why is it always a Trump makes a buck off our Taxes for his personal gains?