John,
With the pandemic ravaging the U.S. economy, one sector that’s been hit particularly hard is the hotel industry, which lost 82% of its business in April―with luxury hotels taking an even larger hit, losing over 96% of business.[1]
Amidst this economic turmoil, four out of five of Donald Trump’s top-earning hotels and resorts were closed for more than two months, likely losing the president tens of millions of dollars in revenue.[1] But, just as the Trump Organization faces a difficult financial path, it may find one lender and one landlord that’s sympathetic to its plight: The Trump administration.
Just take a look at this New York Times headline about Trump’s Washington, D.C. hotel, which rents its property from the federal government:[2]
This is an outrageous conflict of interest! Donate to Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund today to help us fight back and demand transparency and accountability!
At least four luxury hotel properties owned or managed by the Trump Organization appear to qualify for loans that can be converted to outright grants from the massive $600-plus billion small business loan program.[3] But now Trump’s Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, is refusing to disclose the names of companies that are being selected to receive taxpayer-backed pandemic assistance.[4]
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund is demanding Steven Mnuchin immediately disclose whether the Trump Organization, or any of the properties that it owns or manages, are receiving federal assistance in the form of loans, grants or rent reductions (the latter for its Washington, D.C. hotel).
Nearly three months ago Congress passed the CARES Act to provide economic relief for “small businesses” to cope with the effects of the pandemic. Six hundred billion dollars later we still don’t know where that money went, and the Trump administration is refusing to tell us.
U.S. taxpayers paid for this program. We demand to know who is benefiting―NOW!!! This is a democracy, not an oligarchy!
Donate today to hold the Trump administration accountable over a potential massive conflict of interest that could be putting Donald Trump’s own business interests ahead of small businesses struggling to survive.
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Together, we must fight back against an administration that continues to stonewall the American people and Congress as we seek transparency and accountability from our federal government. Together, we must hold Donald Trump accountable.
Thank you,
Frank Clemente
Executive Director
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund
[1] “Pandemic Deepens economic pain at Trump’s company, already suffering from a tarnished brand,” The Washington Post, June 12, 2020
[2] “Trump (the Company) Asks Trump (the Administration) for Hotel Relief,” The New York Times, April 21, 2020
[3] “Yes, Trump Hotels Do Appear to Qualify for Coronavirus Bailout Benefits,” ProPublica, April 8, 2020
[4] “Trump administration won’t say who got $511 billion in taxpayer-backed coronavirus loans,” The Washington Post, June 11, 2020
