Watson Coleman: We Must Find out if Taxpayers are Financing Trump Org. Business
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, Vice Ranking Member on the Committee on Homeland Security sent the below letter to Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) requesting he follow through on his commitment to find out travel expenses incurred by American taxpayers in furtherance of the Trump Organization.
As you will recall, on July 26, the Committee on Homeland Security considered my legislation, H.Res. 447. This resolution would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide Congress with critical information on Trump family travel expenses incurred by American taxpayers in furtherance of the Trump Organization. During consideration of the resolution, Mr. Chairman, you said that you would commit to working with me to “ensure the production of the documents from the Department.” I appreciate your commitment and willingness to assist in this endeavor. Since the committee markup, there have been additional news reports about the impact the Trump family travel has had on DHS. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that the Committee work in a bipartisan fashion to obtain the information requested in the resolution.
To that end, I respectfully request that you join me in requesting the following information from the Department of Homeland Security:
1) Any documentation of a payment that, on its face, refers to a business owned or controlled by Donald J. Trump, the Trump Organization or any of its subsidiaries, or any member of the Trump family in the past three years;
2) Any documentation of an expenditure by the Department that, on its face, is identified as being made for services or goods from a business owned or controlled by Donald J. Trump, the Trump Organization or any of its subsidiaries, or any member of the Trump family;
3) Any documentation of costs to the Department associated with the protection of Donald J. Trump, Melania Trump, Donald J. Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Eric Trump, or any other member of the Trump family or Trump Organization while on international travel that has not been documented by the Secretary as in furtherance of the United States Government;
4) Any documentation of costs to the Department associated with Eric Trump's trip to Uruguay in January 2017;
5) Any documentation of costs to the Department associated with Eric Trump's trip to the Dominican Republic in February 2017;
6) Any documentation of costs to the Department associated with Donald Trump, Jr., and Eric Trump's trip to the United Arab Emirates in February 2017;
7) Any documentation of costs to the Department associated with Donald Trump, Jr.'s and Eric Trump's trip to Canada in February 2017;
8) Any documentation of costs to the Department associated with Eric Trump's trip to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland in April 2017;
9) Any documentation of costs to the Department associated with Eric Trump’s trip to the United Kingdom in June 2017 ; and
10) Any documentation referencing guidance, directive, or analysis of any expenditure described in paragraph (1).
Following Committee Republicans’ rejection of H.Res. 447, a Resolution of Inquiry that would have directed the DHS to provide all information related to payments it made for Trump Organization or Trump family travel in furtherance of Trump Organization business, Watson Coleman introduced The “Stop Padding Presidential Pockets Act”.
This legislation seeks to require anyone who receives Secret Service protection and travels in furtherance of the business interests or financial benefit of the President of the United States to reimburse the U.S. Treasury for costs incurred by the Government pertaining to that travel, including for the provision of Secret Service protection. This bill, if enacted, would ensure that the Trump family pays for the significant costs incurred by the Federal Government for trips that directly benefit the President’s business and financial interests.
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