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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIRS COMMISSIONER CHARGED WITH RELEASING TRUMP TAX RETURNS PROFITS FROM TRUMP-BRANDED PROPERTY
https://www.citizensforethics.org/irs-commissioner-charged-with-releasing-trump-tax-returns-profits-from-trump-branded-property/April 25, 2019
President Trumps hand-picked IRS Commissioner, Charles Rettig, earns as much as $1 million in rental income from the Trump-branded properties he co-owns while facing demands from Congress to release Trumps tax returns. The IRS has already missed more than one deadline set by the House Ways and Means Committee to turn over Trumps tax returns. (Rettig has stated that he will decide whether or not to release the tax returns, under the supervision of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.)
When Trump nominated Rettig to lead the IRS in February 2018, Rettig initially failed to disclose that the Hawaii real estate he owned was at a Trump-branded property. He bought a 50 percent interest in two units at Trump International Waikiki in 2006 ahead of the buildings completion in 2009. It is likely that Trump profited off of his future-IRS commissioners purchase; although the Trump Organization does not own the Waikiki property, its branding deal gave it a 10 percent share of total pre-sales.
Records indicate Rettig is definitely making money from this purchase: on his financial disclosure, he reported an income between $100,000 and $1 million in rent and/or royalties from the units. The two one-bedroom condos are valued around $1.2 million each, according to Hawaii property records. President Trump also made a promotional appearance at the property in 2017 ahead of a diplomatic trip.
Rettigs financial interest at Trump-branded property raises serious ethics questions as the president continues to fight to keep his tax returns secret. The public has a strong interest in seeing the presidents tax returns to understand whether he is using the White House to further his own bottom line. The fact that Trumps IRS Commissioner is entangled in the presidents business interests means we have to ask whether Rettigs decision on releasing the presidents tax returns is based on the public interest or his own financial interests.
Takket
(21,629 posts)Where have I heard that one before?
PatSeg
(47,602 posts)These people are shameless.
calimary
(81,500 posts)spanone
(135,880 posts)superpatriotman
(6,252 posts)Ha! Just kidding. Itll never happen.
Bluepinky
(2,276 posts)This shit never ends.
ancianita
(36,137 posts)DFW
(54,443 posts)Just to deal with criminal activity of the Trump clan while he was in office.
progressoid
(49,999 posts)exboyfil
(17,865 posts)Does it take someone with name recognition to send out a tweet? The most tenuous connections get magnified by Trump and the GOP, and a legitimate conflict of interest drops into the black hole?
thesquanderer
(11,992 posts)StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)There is so much every day, it's hard to keep up. And when they report it, it gets diffused because - again - there's so much.
For example, analysis of the 2016 coverage shows that while Hillary had one "scandal" - emails - Trump had scandal after scandal. The fact Hillary had one meant that could be covered as nauseum. But Trump's serial scandals meant each one got covered only briefly before the press had to move on to the next one. The result was that Hillary's emails for seared into our brains while Trump's scandals never had a chance to percolate.
Some of this is media laziness and drive for ratings and clicks. But a lot of it is just the reality of trying to cover news with limited bandwidth and resources.
FBaggins
(26,760 posts)I don't see an actual conflict plausibly alleged... let alone a scandal. The guy owns a partial interest in two rooms of a condo hotel that isn't owned by Trump but which paid a fee to him a decade ago to put his name on the building? The author also claims that he's "definitely making money" by showing that he receives rent for the units... without even trying to evaluate how large the mortgage is or how much is paid in taxes and management fees (likely extreme, given the location). Plus the real estate market it that area hasn't exactly been red hot since the building was sold.
If I was a judge who owned a luxury suite at the Cowboys' stadium and rented it out (assuming they sell such rights... I don't know)... would I have to recuse myself from cases involving AT&T because their name is on the stadium?
gab13by13
(21,405 posts)we will need a millipede.
Ferrets are Cool
(21,110 posts)OhNo-Really
(3,985 posts)Im sure the Supremes will view this as inappropriate
Mersky
(4,986 posts)Sheesh, of course, his appointed IRS commissioner has conflicts of interest - tied back to the pResident.
his swamp is vast, growing, and rapidly eroding foundations across the land.
his adminstration is a criminal enterprise that must be checked.
Wounded Bear
(58,713 posts)Frustratedlady
(16,254 posts)Didn't he have to be confirmed? Mnunchin is bad enough, now this?