The new Trump International Hotel on its opening day in Washington, September 12, 2016.
Washington:
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump must divest his luxury Washington hotel in a building leased from the federal government because the arrangement violates conflict-of-interest rules, congressional Democrats said on Wednesday.
The General Services Administration, which manages property owned by the federal government, including the Old Post Office housing the Trump International Hotel, has concluded that the lease would violate federal conflict-of-interest rules once the Republican businessman is sworn in on Jan. 20, according to a letter to the agency from lawmakers.
The letter referred to a Dec. 8 briefing to congressional staffers by a GSA official whom the letter did not name.
"The Deputy Commissioner made clear that Mr. Trump must divest himself not only of managerial control, but of all ownership interest as well," Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland and three other Democrats said in the letter, which was made public on Wednesday.
The hotel is a few blocks from the White House and has become a rallying point for anti-Trump protesters since it opened in September. It is part of a web of businesses that could create unprecedented conflicts of interest for Trump, a New York real estate developer and former reality TV star.
Trump's company has not responded to the GSA's concerns about the potential conflict, the Democratic lawmakers said. The agency has been dealing with Trump's daughter, Ivanka, about the lease, even as she acts as a presidential transition team official, they said.
The Democratic lawmakers asked the GSA for documents about the hotel's lease, profit and expense projections and legal memos about the potential conflict of interest.
Trump has said he will draw up documents that will remove him from day-to-day business operations. He had planned a Thursday news conference to disclose details of the plan but this week put that announcement off until next month.
Trump will address the hotel issue in January, spokesman Jason Miller told reporters. GSA officials did not respond to a request for comment.
Federal law does not prohibit the president's involvement in private business while in office, even though members of Congress and lower-ranking executive branch officials are subject to strict conflict-of-interest rules.
But most presidents in recent decades have placed their personal assets, including property and financial holdings, in blind trusts overseen by independent advisers to avoid any appearance of impropriety. Under a blind trust, the owner has no say or knowledge in how the assets are managed.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The General Services Administration, which manages property owned by the federal government, including the Old Post Office housing the Trump International Hotel, has concluded that the lease would violate federal conflict-of-interest rules once the Republican businessman is sworn in on Jan. 20, according to a letter to the agency from lawmakers.
The letter referred to a Dec. 8 briefing to congressional staffers by a GSA official whom the letter did not name.
"The Deputy Commissioner made clear that Mr. Trump must divest himself not only of managerial control, but of all ownership interest as well," Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland and three other Democrats said in the letter, which was made public on Wednesday.
The hotel is a few blocks from the White House and has become a rallying point for anti-Trump protesters since it opened in September. It is part of a web of businesses that could create unprecedented conflicts of interest for Trump, a New York real estate developer and former reality TV star.
Trump's company has not responded to the GSA's concerns about the potential conflict, the Democratic lawmakers said. The agency has been dealing with Trump's daughter, Ivanka, about the lease, even as she acts as a presidential transition team official, they said.
The Democratic lawmakers asked the GSA for documents about the hotel's lease, profit and expense projections and legal memos about the potential conflict of interest.
Trump has said he will draw up documents that will remove him from day-to-day business operations. He had planned a Thursday news conference to disclose details of the plan but this week put that announcement off until next month.
Trump will address the hotel issue in January, spokesman Jason Miller told reporters. GSA officials did not respond to a request for comment.
Federal law does not prohibit the president's involvement in private business while in office, even though members of Congress and lower-ranking executive branch officials are subject to strict conflict-of-interest rules.
But most presidents in recent decades have placed their personal assets, including property and financial holdings, in blind trusts overseen by independent advisers to avoid any appearance of impropriety. Under a blind trust, the owner has no say or knowledge in how the assets are managed.
© Thomson Reuters 2016
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
