Watchdog Group Urges GSA To Find Trump Hotel In Breach Of Lease
The watchdog group Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility lodged a complaint Friday with the General Services Administration, urging it to find that President Donald Trump's inauguration put his company in breach of its lease of the Old Post Office in Washington, Politico reported.
The federal government leased the historic property on Pennsylvania Avenue to a Trump company, which renovated and reopened it last year as a Trump International Hotel.
The letter to the GSA argues that Trump is in conflict with GSA's lease contract for the building, which includes a conflict-of-interest provision, according to the letter.
"Mr. Trump was sworn in as President of the United States today," the complaint notes, before going on to quote portions of the original contract.
"Once that happened, he became an 'elected official of the Government of the United States.' As a result, he and companies he owns can no longer 'be admitted to any share or part' of the lease or 'to any benefit that may arise' from it," the letter said.
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