The Inaugural Committee's Trump Hotel Contract

2017-01-20

The Inaugural Committee's Trump Hotel Contract

unresolved

Promised: 2016-12-14The inaugural committee was organized as a nonprofit to support the public purposes of the presidential inauguration.Open cited record · 1 source
The record: 2017-01-20The committee contracted for Trump Hotel event space after internal concerns about pricing and optics were communicated to Trump family members and committee officials.Open cited record · 2 sources2020-01-22The District sued the committee and Trump entities, alleging that the hotel payments wasted nonprofit funds for private benefit.Open cited record · 2 sources
Who gained: Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C.
Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C.
Who paid: 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee donors
58th Presidential Inaugural Committee donors
Audit finding: unresolved
The contract and internal warnings are documented, while the characterization as unlawful nonprofit waste originated as a civil allegation and should remain so unless paired with the later final disposition.
Causal strength: source attributed

Evidence chronology

promise2016-12-14documented
The inaugural committee was organized as a nonprofit to support the public purposes of the presidential inauguration.
- Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia: District of Columbia v. 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee complaint2020-01-22 · Paragraphs 1-61; hotel event-space rates, warnings, payments and nonprofit-purpose allegations
Open underlying ledger entry
action2017-01-20documented
The committee contracted for Trump Hotel event space after internal concerns about pricing and optics were communicated to Trump family members and committee officials.
- Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia: District of Columbia v. 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee complaint2020-01-22 · Paragraphs 1-61; hotel event-space rates, warnings, payments and nonprofit-purpose allegations
- ProPublica: Donald and Ivanka Trump Were Involved in Inauguration's Inflated Payments to Family Business, New Suit Says2020-01-22 · Complaint context, warnings to Donald and Ivanka Trump, and defendants' position
Open underlying ledger entry
outcome2020-01-22documented
The District sued the committee and Trump entities, alleging that the hotel payments wasted nonprofit funds for private benefit.
- Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia: District of Columbia v. 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee complaint2020-01-22 · Paragraphs 1-61; hotel event-space rates, warnings, payments and nonprofit-purpose allegations
- Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia: AG Racine Sues Presidential Inaugural Committee and Trump Entities2020-01-22 · Allegations, payment categories and Prayer Breakfast comparison
Open underlying ledger entry
limitation2020-01-22alleged
The claim was a civil allegation at filing; defendants disputed wrongdoing and the filing did not itself adjudicate liability.
- ProPublica: Donald and Ivanka Trump Were Involved in Inauguration's Inflated Payments to Family Business, New Suit Says2020-01-22 · Complaint context, warnings to Donald and Ivanka Trump, and defendants' position
Open underlying ledger entry

Responses, legal status, contrary evidence, and limitations

limitation
The claim was a civil allegation at filing; defendants disputed wrongdoing and the filing did not itself adjudicate liability.