Washington, D.C. -Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to the Trump Organization and Kushner Companies, LLC, seeking documents regarding reports of their previously undisclosed business arrangements.
“These previously undisclosed business relationships between the Trump Organization and Kushner Companies extend the already sprawling number of potential conflicts of interest created by the appointment of President Trump’s son-in-law as a Senior Advisor at the White House-and the failure of both President Trump and Mr. Kushner to fully divest their assets," the Members wrote.
The New York Times reported that “the Trump Organization began managing a Kushner-owned hotel in Livingston, N.J." and that the “Kushners are in private discussions to have President Trump’s company manage at least one hotel" in a new development at the Jersey Shore in which Mr. Kushner “is expected to eventually own 20 percent."
In today’s letter, the Members explained that deepening business ties between the Trump Organization and Kushner Companies raise a host of concerns. For example, they could help the Trump Organization circumvent ethical restraints it adopted after Trump became President, as well as benefit from foreign or domestic government funding provided to Kushner Companies.
The Members also explained that they are deeply concerned that the Trump Organization would seek to deepen its financial ties to the Kushner Companies when foreign officials reportedly have discussed how to manipulate Mr. Kushner “by taking advantage of his complex business arrangements."
“The American people deserve to know about these secret business transactions involving President Trump and a top adviser and his family-and their consequences-as well as whether these transactions are being used to bypass federal ethics rules and guidelines," the Members wrote.
The Members requested that the Trump Organization and Kushner Companies provide, by April 6, 2018, all of their communications since the Inauguration, as well as all documents about any of their business agreements, ethics concerns, and investments made regarding joint business arrangements.
