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Congresswoman Waters Calls for Investigations into President-elect Trump’s DC Hotel Conflicts of Interest

December 5, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C.Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, sent letters to General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Denise Turner Roth and the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Jason Chaffetz, calling for an investigation into President-elect Trump’s lease agreement with GSA to operate the Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C. and actual or perceived conflicts of interest stemming from the agreement.

“Today, I sent letters to Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz and U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Denise Turner Roth calling for an investigation into President-elect Trump’s lease agreement with the GSA to operate the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., and any conflicts of interest that may emerge as he assumes the presidency. My concerns for the potential for corruption and the ethical consequences that may result from actual or perceived conflicts of interest have so far not been assuaged due to the President-elect’s refusal to liquidate his assets and place the proceeds in a blind trust. To date, the President-elect has neither outlined a plan describing in detail how he will remove himself from his business operations, nor has he assured the American people that he will not attempt to profit from the presidency through business arrangements in the United States and development projects around the world. The Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C. is ground zero, laying the foundation for the myriad conflicts the President-elect will have once he takes the oath of office next month.

While any elected official signing on to such a lease with GSA would be problematic, a President lessee in this instance would prove especially troublesome. Since President-elect Trump will have the authority to appoint the next GSA Administrator who will oversee the use of the Trump Hotel in DC and lead regular negotiations with the Trump Organization over the terms of the lease, he will effectively be both the landlord and the tenant.

“The Wall Street Journal, the Sunlight Foundation, government watchdogs, and former Democrat and Republican White House ethics experts have all called on the President-elect to divest his assets to prevent conflicts of interests. Until he does, those of us responsible for the oversight of our agencies and leaders will continue to hold him accountable. That is why I have also sent a letter to the Inspectors General of our federal financial services agencies to ensure that these matters are examined at all levels.

Given the unprecedented nature of the potential conflicts of interest stemming from President-elect Trump’s businesses, the GSA and Congress must act now to ensure the Office of the President upholds the highest standard of ethics.”