CLUB RESORT, TO HOST THIS BIG
EVENT, THE SPILLOVER EFFECT EVEN
AT COST IS VERY GOOD FOR
WHATEVER EVENT LOCALE YOU
CHOOSE.
AGAIN, THEY ARE ARGUING THIS IS
NOT A VIOLATION OF THE
EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE.
I BELIEVE THE JUDGE HAS A
DIFFERENT NOTION OF THAT.
>> IT'S NOT MY NOTION.
IT'S THE CONSTITUTION'S NOTION.
THE CONSTITUTION DOES NOT
ADDRESS PROFITS, IT ADDRESSES
ANY PRESENT, AS IN A GIFT, ANY
EMOLUMENT AS IN CASH OF ANY KIND
WHATEVER.
I'M QUOTING THE CLAUSE, FROM ANY
KING, PRINCE OR FOREIGN STATE.
SO IF THIS WERE A MEETING OF THE
GOVERNORS OF THE UNITED STATES,
THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEM.
THE PURPOSE OF THE EMOLUMENTS
CLAUSE IS TO KEEP THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FROM PROFITING OFF OF FOREIGN
MONEY, HERE WE GO AGAIN, NOT IN
THE CAMPAIGN BUT IN SOME EVENT
OR ENTITY THAT HE CONTROLS OR IS
RUNNING.
HE HAS BOUGHT HIMSELF AN
ENORMOUS HEADACHE NOW WITH THE
CHOICE OF THIS.
THIS IS ABOUT AS DIRECT AND
PROFOUND A VIOLATION OF THE
EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE AS ONE COULD
CREATE.
NEIL: DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH
HERE, FOR THE TRUMP BUSINESS,
I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS THE
PRESIDENT HIMSELF BUT EXTENDED
TO HIS FAMILY, THIS PARTICULAR
LOCALE IS THE BIGGEST MONEY
MAKER FOR THE TRUMP FAMILY.
I KNOW A LITTLE BIT HAVING
COVERED NUMEROUS G-7 EVENTS ALL
OVER THE WORLD OVER MY CAREER,
WHATEVER YOU MIGHT LOSE BECAUSE
THEY PROBABLY DO LOSE A LITTLE
BIT GIVEN THE FACT THAT NO ONE
ELSE CAN GO TO THESE VENUES WHEN
THE WORLD LEADERS ARE THERE, SO
IT'S IN LOCKDOWN, BUT AGAIN, THE
CARRYOVER, THE SPILLOVER OF
THAT, IF YOU GO TO SEA ISLAND
TODAY, THEY STILL HAVE THE FLAGS
OF THE COUNTRIES AND TREES THAT
WERE PLANTED.
IT'S A GREAT, YOU KNOW, DRAW TO
PEOPLE WHO VISIT, WOW, THIS IS
WHERE THE FOREIGN LEADERS, SO IT
HAS A SPILLOVER EFFECT.
>> MOST RESPECTFULLY, MR.
MULVANEY'S FOCUS ON PROFIT,
WHILE IT MAY MAKE SENSE IN THE
ECONOMIC WORLD, IS NOT WHAT THE
FRAMERS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT.
THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT A GIFT
OR CASH COMING DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY TO THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES, EVEN IF IT'S
DONE AT A LOSS.
NOW, THE PRESIDENT OWNS SHARES
OF STOCK IN A CORPORATION THAT
IS ONE OF THE OWNERS OF THIS,
ALONG WITH MANY OTHER INVESTORS.
HE ALSO OWNS SHARES OF STOCK IN
THE CORPORATION THAT MANAGES IT.
SO THOSE CORPORATIONS WILL
RECEIVE A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY
FROM FOREIGN HEADS OF STATE
BECAUSE THIS IS THERE.
THAT'S EXACTLY, EXACTLY WHAT THE
EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE WAS WRITTEN TO
PROHIBIT.
NEIL: IT DOES LIFT THE STATUS OF
THE RESORT IN QUESTION.
MULVANEY WAS SAYING WE LOOKED AT
ALL FIVE, THIS IS THE ONLY ONE
WE COULD FIND.
I'M NOT A GOLFER.
I PLAY MINIATURE GOLF.
BUT THERE ARE TONS OF THEM
AROUND, EVERYWHERE.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND WITH THIS
PARTICULAR FACILITY, IT IS LARGE
ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYBODY,
THEY CAN ALL BE ON SITE, I THINK
THAT WAS THE SAME AT SEA ISLAND,
IT WAS CERTAINLY THAT WAY AT
CAMP DAVID IF ALL THE LEADERS
WANTED TO STAY IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, SO THERE'S AN
APPEAL FROM A SECURITY
PERSPECTIVE, BUT IF IT HAS THE
NAME TRUMP ON IT, I THINK YOU
WOULD BEND OVER BACKWARDS TO
AVOID THAT.
>> ONE WOULD THINK SO.
BUT YOU KNOW THE PRESIDENT.
HE LIKES A FIGHT AND HE JUST
PICKED ANOTHER ONE.
NEIL: WHERE DOES THIS GO?
>> I WOULD IMAGINE SOMEONE WILL
FILE ANOTHER LAWSUIT.
THERE'S TWO EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE
SALUTES GOING ON NOW, ONE IN
BALTIMORE, ONE IN WASHINGTON,
D.C.
THOSE ARE ACTIVE LIVE CASES.
EXPECT A THIRD ONE PROBABLY IN
THE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT IN
SOUTHERN PART OF FLORIDA.
NEIL: ALL RIGHT.
JUST TO ADD A LITTLE BIT AS THE
JUDGE IS TALKING, A LITTLE FROM
THIS WEEKLY MIAMI AREA PAPER,
LOOKS AT BUSINESS IN THE MIAMI
AREA, AND IT HAS SAID REVENUE
HAD BEEN PLUMMETING AT THE
PROPERTY SINCE 2015.
NOW, A CONSULTANT FOR THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION AND TAX OFFICIALS
COMMENTING ON THIS, IN LATE 2018
THE RESORT WAS QUOTE UNQUOTE,
SEVERELY UNDERPERFORMING WHEN
COMPARED TO COMPARABLE HOTEL
PROPERTIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA.
IT COULD BE THE NAME OR THE
BRAND TRUMP, THE CONTROVERSY
GENERATED WHEN HE FIRST
ANNOUNCED HE WAS RUNNING FOR
PRESIDENT.
IT'S NOT A REFLECTION TO
PRESIDENT HERE OR HIS BUSINESS
ACUMEN, JUST THE CONTROVERSY THE
NAME GENERATES.
AGAIN, TO AVOID ANY APPEARANCE
OF FAVORING ONE PROPERTY OVER
THE OTHER, THE ADMINISTRATION
HAS GONE HEAD-FIRST INTO WHAT
COULD BE A VERY CONTROVERSIAL
BACK-AND-FORTH AS TO WHETHER
THAT WOULD BE THE BEST LOCATION.