In Response to Warren and Democratic Senators, Trust for the National Mall Refuses to Answer Questions About Possible Corruption Involving Trump’s Ballroom

In Response to Warren and Democratic Senators, Trust for the National Mall Refuses to Answer Questions About Possible Corruption Involving Trump's Ballroom

"If the Trust for the National Mall has become a tool for favor-seeking between billionaires and the President of the United States, the American people deserve to know."

Text of Response Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - In a response to an October letter from U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Wyden (D-Ore.), Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Markey (D-Mass.), the Trust for the National Mall refused to answer questions about its role in fundraising efforts for President Trump's new White House Ballroom.

Billionaires and billionaire corporations with business in front of the Trump administration have funneled money to the new ballroom, raising questions about potential corruption. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon this week explained that the bank has not given to the ballroom because "we're quite conscious of risks we bear by doing anything that looks like buying favors or anything like that."

"If the Trust for the National Mall has become a tool for favor-seeking between billionaires and the President of the United States, the American people deserve to know. It's my job as a United States Senator to uncover possible corruption and get answers for Americans. I'll keep pushing to find out if the Trust is facilitating wink-and-nod arrangements between Trump and his billionaire ballroom donors - and what these donors are getting in return," said Senator Warren.

"The Trust for the National Mall's response is insultingly unsatisfactory. It's an insult to our intelligence and their integrity. The President is abusing this respected nonprofit institution to facilitate special interest access and fund his $300 million vanity boondoggle. Billionaires and big corporations are exploiting this vehicle to cozy up to Trump. It will be diminished in credibility and trust as it becomes entrenched in Trump's quicksand. The American people deserve to know whether there have been any quid-pro-quos or backroom favors for donating to his gilded ballroom project. I'll continue to press for answers," said Senator Blumenthal.

"$300 million in private donations are bankrolling Trump's vanity project at the White House, with much of it coming from corporate interests with high-stakes matters before the federal government. The Trust's wholly inadequate response to our letter only deepens our serious concerns that they are enabling a major pay-for-play scheme, allowing the wealthy and megacorporations to curry favor with a lawless president - all while Trump refuses to negotiate the end of his government shutdown. Given Trump's clear pattern of shaking down businesses in exchange for sweetheart deals with his Administration, we will keep working to shine a light on these donors and what's motivating them - including whether they expect favorable treatment in return for their 'generosity,'" said Senator Van Hollen.

"As Americans struggle to feed their families and federal workers struggle without pay, Trump builds a golden ballroom funded by billionaires and large corporations. We demanded answers about Trump's corruption and pay-to-play politics and got zero answers. Public office is a public trust - not a VIP suite for the highest bidder," said Senator Markey.

The Trust was established as a nonpartisan, nonprofit partner of the National Park Service. But the scale of funds raised for President Trump's ballroom, President Trump's personal involvement in fundraising for the project, and the number of corporate donors with business before the Trump Administration raised questions for the lawmakers about whether the organization is facilitating these donors' corrupt access to and favor-seeking from President Trump and his administration.

On October 23, the senators pressed President and CEO of the Trust, Catherine Townsend, and National Park Service Comptroller Jessica Bowron, about the exact agreements in place regarding the building of the ballroom, the source and amount of donations, whether the donations are charitable deductions, and more.

In the Trust's response, Townsend confirmed the Trust is "managing the private donations gifted to support the [ballroom] project," but refused to answer questions regarding the agreements between President Trump, the White House, and the Trust with regard to funding and building the Trump Ballroom.

Townsend also declined to release details about the donations made to date, along with any terms and conditions related to each of these donations, saying "donor names and identifying information are not subject to public disclosure under [federal law]."

Townsend directed the senators additional questions about the project to the National Park Service and the White House.

###