>>> WITH DORAL, WE HAVE A SERIES OF MAGNIFICENT BUILDINGS.
WE CALL THEM BUNGALOWS.
THEY EACH HOLD FROM 50 TO 70
VERY LUXURIOUS ROOMS WITH
MAGNIFICENT VIEWS.
MAGNIFICENT VIEWS. WE HAVE INCREDIBLE CONFERENCE
ROOMS, INCREDIBLE RESTAURANTS.
IT’S VERY IMPORTANTLY ONLY FIVE
MINUTES FROM THE AIRPORT.
THE AIRPORT IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR,
AND WE HAVE MANY HUNDREDS OF
ACRES SO THAT IN TERMS OF
PARKING, IN TERMS OF ALL OF THE
THINGS THAT YOU NEED, THE BALL
ROOMS ARE AMONG THE BIGGEST IN
FLORIDA AND THE BEST.
EACH COUNTRY CAN HAVE THEIR OWN
VILLA OR THEIR OWN BUNGALOW.
>> WELCOME BACK.
PRESIDENT TRUMP REALLY PRAYING
CONVENTION BUREAU CHIEF THERE
PUSHING HIS MIAMI GOLF CLUB AS
THE PLACE TO HOST THE NEXT
YEAR’S G7 SUMMIT.
IT’S JUST THE LATEST EXAMPLE OF
A LONG LIST OF POTENTIAL
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST FACING
THIS PRESIDENT WITHOUT
APPARENTLY ANY ACCOUNTABILITY.
HE’S NEVER RELINQUISHED CONTROL
OF HIS BUSINESS EMPIRE AFTER
MOVING INTO THE WHITE HOUSE, AND
ACCORDING TO ONE GOVERNMENT
WATCHDOG GROUP, THE LIST OF
CONFLICTS IS NOW 2,000 LONG AND
COUNTING.
COUNTING. AND THEN JUST MINUTES AGO "THE
WASHINGTON POST" REPORTED THAT
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL BARR
HAS OFFICIALLY BOOKED PRESIDENT
TRUMP’S D.C. HOTEL FOR HIS
$30,000 HOLIDAY PARTY.
JOINING ME NOW IS SAID REPORTER,
DAVID FARN THOLD.
HE’S ONE OF THE POST REPORTERS
WHO BROKE THAT STORY.
HE’S BEEN CHRONICLING THE DONALD
TRUMP BUSINESS INTERESTS SINCE
BFRS
BFRS BEFORE HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT.
TODAY HE’S BASICALLY A CO-HOST
OF MOST HOURS, IT’S NICE TO SEE
YOU.
YOU. >> THANK YOU.
>> I’M GLAD YOU HAD TIME TO DO
SOME REPORTING IN BETWEEN US
COMMANDEERING YOU FOR
TELEVISION.
TELEVISION. >> THAT’S RIGHT, THERE’S BEEN A
LOT GOING ON TODAY, THE DORAL --
JUST DORAL WAS A LOT, BUT NOW
WE’VE ADDED THIS EXTRA BILL BARR
PARTY, WHICH IS AMAZING.
>> I WANT TO FIRST START WITH IF
I WERE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION AND I WERE PUTTING A
CONFERENCE -- IT’S MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WOULD
BE A SERIES OF RULES OF WHO GETS
THE RFP, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
AND WHAT GROUPS YOU CAN USE,
WHAT GROUPS YOU CAN’T USE, YOUR
BUDGET AND ALL THIS STUFF.
DOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS EXIST
FOR THE WEST WING?
>> WELL, SINCE THIS IS BARR’S --
WHAT HE SAYS IS HIS PERSONAL
HOLIDAY PARTY, HE’S PAYING FOR
IT PERSONALLY.
IT PERSONALLY. THIS IS HIS FAMILY PARTY, HIS
FRIENDS, IT’S NOT A DOJ EVENT SO
IN THIS CASE HE CAN DO WHATEVER
HE WANTS.
HE WANTS. THERE’S NOT A LAW AGAINST THIS.
IT’S JUST AS YOU KIND OF ALLUDED
TO, THIS IS A GUY WHO PRESIDENT
TRUMP GAVE A HUGE PLUM PRIZE AND
NOW GIVING PRESIDENT TRUMP BACK
SOME MONEY.
SOME MONEY. >> ALL RIGHT, HOW ABOUT THE G7?
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES CAN SAY HE WANTS IT IN
MIAMI, BUT IS THERE A DUTY THAT
THE GOVERNMENT, SINCE IT’S USING
TAXPAYER DOLLARS, THAT THEY MAKE
THIS DECISION ABOUT WHAT
LOCATION IN MIAMI TO HAVE THIS
AT?
AT? >> YES, TYPICALLY THE PRESIDENT
WILL CHOOSE A SITE, AND
SOMETIMES THAT SITE IS LIMITED
TO JUST -- IT MAKES THE DECISION
FOR YOU.
FOR YOU. THERE’S JUST ONE VENDOR, THERE’S
JUST ONE HOTEL.
SOMETIMES THEY CHOOSE A CITY AND
THERE’S A LOT OF HOTELS AND THEY
CAN BID.
CAN BID. IN THIS CASE TRUMP IS
ENVISIONING THE CITY OF DORAL
REALLY HE MEANS, THOUGH, HIS
RESORT.
RESORT. WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT THOSE
VILLAS, HE WANTS TO PUT
EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PROPERTY,
WHICH HE OWNS.
>> NOW, SECURITY WISE, THAT’S
ALWAYS -- LOOK, I KNOW ONE TIME
I THINK IT WAS ST. SIMON’S
ISLAND, WE’VE USED TO HOST THE
G7, ANOTHER TIME WE USED CAMP
DAVID BY THE WAY.
I THINK THE CHEAPEST PLACE TO DO
IT THAT ALLOWS FOR PLENTY OF
PRIVACY IS CAMP DAVID.
YOU COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE
THAT.
THAT. WHAT IS -- IS THERE ANY -- SO
THERE REALLY IS NO LAW -- I
MEAN, HE CAN SORT OF DO THIS --
AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, COULD
THEY JUST WILLY NILLY DO IT THIS
WAY?
WAY? >> PROBABLY NOT.
>> IS IT CONGRESS THAT’S GOING
TO HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER THIS
IS ON THE UP AND UP?
>> IT’S A GREAT QUESTION ABOUT
CONGRESS.
CONGRESS. THE STATE DEPARTMENT USUALLY
PAYS FOR THESE THINGS.
THEY PAY FOR THE U.S. OFFICIALS
WHO ARE STAYING THERE.
THEY’LL PAY FOR SORT OF 15 ROOMS
FOR THE VERY TOP FOREIGN
LEADERS, AND THEN THE FOREIGN
COUNTRIES HAVE TO PAY FOR THE
REST OF THEIR STAFF.
TYPICALLY, THEY’RE ALL IN
DIFFERENT HOTELS BECAUSE THEY
ALL WANT THE SAME SIZE
PRESIDENTIAL SUITE, AND THERE
AREN’T EIGHT PRESIDENTIAL SUITES
AT ONE HOTEL.
TYPICALLY, IT’S NOT JUST THE
CHOICE OF ONE PLACE, IN THIS
CASE TRUMP IS CHOOSING IT.
SO THERE ARE SOME ADVANTAGES TO
HAVING EVERYBODY IN ONE SPOT,
BUT THERE’S SOME DISADVANTAGES
TOO.
TOO. YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW ISOLATED
THE SITES WE CHOOSE ARE, CAMP
DAVID, AN ISLAND OFF THE COAST
OF GEORGIA.
OF GEORGIA. THIS IS A PLACE PLOPPED DOWN IN
THE MIDDLE OF INDUSTRIAL PARK,
HOMES, MALLS.
HOMES, MALLS. IT’S URBAN FLORIDA, AND YOU’RE
GOING TO TRY TO SEAL THAT OFF IN
THE WAY YOU SEAL OFF A FLORIDA.
>> IN DEFENSE, I KNOW THE AREA
PRETTY WELL, IF YOU’RE GOING TO
TRY TO PUT THIS IN THE AREA, YOU
PROBABLY CAN -- IT’S GOING TO BE
DISRUPTIVE TO TRAFFIC NO MATTER
WHAT, IT’S PROBABLY -- OTHER
THAN PUTTING IT ON KEY BISCAYNE
AND SHUTTING OFF KEY BISCAYNE, I
DON’T KNOW WHERE ELSE YOU COULD
DO IT IN DEFENSE ON THAT FRONT.
LET ME GO BACK TO WHAT CONGRESS
IS DOING, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT
COMES TO TRYING TO INVESTIGATE
WHAT HE’S DOING ON THE HOTEL.
WHERE IS -- IS THIS ON
OVERSIGHT?
OVERSIGHT? AND WHAT PROGRESS HAVE THEY
MADE?
MADE? >> THEY HAVE NOT MADE MUCH
PROGRESS.
PROGRESS. TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW
LITTLE PROGRESS THEY’VE MADE,
THE MOST IMPORTANT -- UNTIL NOW,
UNTIL DORAL -- THE MOST
IMPORTANT SORT OF LOCUST OF
EMOLUMENTS QUESTIONS FOR TRUMP
WAS HIS D.C. HOTEL.
THAT’S WHERE MOST FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS THAT SPEND MONEY
WITH HIM, THEY SPEND MONEY
THERE.
THERE. THAT BUILDING IS ACTUALLY OWNED
BY THE U.S. TAXPAYER.
TRUMP HAS A LEASE TO OPERATE A
HOTEL ON THIS BUILDING, BUT THE
TAXPAYER OWNS IT.
WHICH PUTS IT SQUARELY IN THE
JURISDICTION OF THE HOUSE
TRANSPORTATION AND
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE.
INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE. THEY OWN THE HOTEL, THEY CAN
INVESTIGATE IT.
INVESTIGATE IT. EVEN THEY HAVE FAILED TO LEARN
THE MOST BASIC FACTS.
WHAT COUNTRIES HAVE SPENT MONEY
WITH TRUMP AT THAT HOTEL.
HOW MUCH DID THEY SPEND?
WE’RE HEARING SOME UNHAPPINESS
FROM DEENA TITUS, ONE OF THE
CONGRESSWOMEN ON THAT COMMITTEE
WHO’S A SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
SAYING LOOK, I THINK MY
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN IS PLAYING
TOO NICE BECAUSE HE WANTS AN
INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
INFRASTRUCTURE BILL. HE’S BEING TOO NICE TO THE TRUMP
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. WE NEED TO GO HARDER.
THAT MAY CHANGE COMING INTO THE
FALL, ESPECIALLY AFTER THIS
DORAL DECISION WHICH PUTS IT OUT
ON THE TABLE THAT TRUMP INTENDS
TO WALK RIGHT OVER WHATEVER THE
NORMS WERE BEFORE.
>> DO YOU FEEL LIKE WE HAVE
ENOUGH INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO
BALLPARK, FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH
HE’S PROFITED, HOW MUCH TRUMP
RECEIPTS HAVE GONE UP THAN WHAT
THEY WOULD HAVE GONE WITHOUT HIM
IN THE PRESIDENCY?
>> NO, WE KNOW FOR INDIVIDUAL
PROPERTIES AND THERE’S A MIX.
SO SOME PLACES LIKE DORAL, THE
PLACE HE’S CONSIDERING FOR THE
G7 SUMMIT HAVE DONE QUITE
POORLY.
POORLY. PROFITABILITY HAS DECLINED 70%.
>> HE LOST A SIGNATURE GOLF
TOURNAMENT THAT BASICALLY WAS
HIS MARKETING VEHICLE FOR
VACATIONING SO IT’S NOT
SURPRISING ON THAT.
>> EXACTLY.
>> EXACTLY. AND HIS NAME DROVE PEOPLE AWAY
FROM MAR-A-LAGO WHICH HAS LOST
REVENUE.
REVENUE. HIS ACTIONS AS PRESIDENT HAVE
DRIVEN AWAY SOME OF HIS SORT OF
MAINSTREAM CORPORATE CLIENTS.
BUT THEN AGAIN THE D.C. HOTEL,
WHICH HAS ATTRACTED LOTS OF
FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS,
FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, REPUBLICANS, LOBBYING GROUPS,
PEOPLE LIKE T-MOBILE WHO HAVE
SOMETHING IN FRONT OF THE
GOVERNMENT, THAT HOTEL HAS SEEN
REVENUE BE REALLY STRONG.
I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH OF THE WHOLE
PICTURE TO TELL YOU WHETHER THE
TRUMP ORG AS A WHOLE IS MAKING
MONEY OR LOSING MONEY.
>> DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF HOW
MUCH TAXPAYER MONEY HAS GONE TO
A TRUMP PROPERTY, I MEAN,
BETWEEN THE AMOUNT OF SECRET
SERVICE, TRUMP WATER, ONE OF THE
NUGGETS, WHAT WAS IT?
HE SEEMED TO MAKE OVER $100,000
I THINK ON HIS FINANCIAL
DISCLOSURE JUST FROM LIKE
SELLING WATER.
SELLING WATER. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. WE DON’T -- WE KNOW THAT THE
U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT A LOT
OF MONEY ON HIS PROPERTIES.
WITH THE EREARLY DAYS OF 2017,
EACH TRIP TO MAR-A-LAGO BROUGHT
IN AT LEAST $20,000 BUYING
TRUMP’S OWN HOTEL ROOMS.
THE GOVERNMENT RELEASES THIS
DATA SO SLOWLY IN RESPONSE TO
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS,
WE ONLY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED NOW
IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2017.
THAT’S THE MOST RECENT DATA
WE’VE GOTTEN.
WE’VE GOTTEN. WE KNOW IT’S IN THE TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, PROBABLY A
LOT MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE THE
GOVERNMENT’S SO SLOW IN GIVING
IT OUT, I DON’T HAVE AN ACCURATE
PICTURE OF HOW BIG IT IS.
HE’S MADE MORE THAN 150 VISITS
TO HIS PROPERTIES.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE BRINGS SOME
GOVERNMENT PEOPLE ALONG.
>> DAVID, YOU DON’T HAVE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AT ALL, BUT IT
DOES FEEL LIKE YOU’VE DONE MORE
WORK THAN CONGRESS HAS TO
UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW MUCH
MONEY HAS BEEN FLOWING IN AND
OUT OF THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION