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The letter, signed by Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, accuses the President of giving “undue credence to the Saudi government’s unbelievable stories and denials,” and states, “Your administration’s response calls into question whether you are acting based on the American public’s interests or your own private interests.”
In light of that, the lawmakers say they are writing “to request additional information about your ongoing personal enrichment from Saudi government payments.”
Hoping to win back the majority in the US House of Representatives after this fall’s midterms, Democrats have already signaled plans to open investigations into Trump’s tax returns, business interests, Cabinet secretaries and whether there was any collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. The letter signals a new vein Democrats intend to mine, opened up by the Saudi crisis.
Nadler told CNN Friday that the Democrats will subpoena business records if they take control of the House.
CNN has reached out to the White House and the Trump Organization for response to the letter from congressional Democrats.
The letter from Blumenthal and Nadler outlines a series of questions that they want answered, saying that there is “widespread concern” that the President’s “receipt of foreign emoluments from the Saudi Arabian government may be influencing the manner in which your Administration is responding to the horrific killing of Jamal Khashoggi.”
Trump’s financial ties with the Saudis date back to the 1990s.
When one of his casino projects was faltering under a mountain of debt, a Saudi prince bought Trump’s yacht for $20 million. Ten years later, public records show Trump sold the 45th floor of his Trump World Tower in New York to the Kingdom for millions of dollars.
One of the questions in the letter sent to the President Friday asks what percentage of revenue at certain Trump Organization properties “can be attributed to foreign government patronage.”
The Trump Organization says it’s donating foreign profits but Nadler told CNN that payments from foreign governments are altogether problematic from an ethics standpoint — whether or not there’s a profit associated with the payment.
“If the Saudis rent a certain number of rooms and prevent a Trump Hotel from losing money, that’s a benefit to the President,” Nadler told CNN.
The letter states, “Press reports indicate that, in 2018, there has been significant foreign government patronage at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., the Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York City and in Chicago, and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.”
It asks, “what percentage of the revenue at these Trump Organization properties can be attributed to foreign government patronage? Please identify the specific property; the foreign government patron; and the amount of revenue generated from each foreign government.”
Another question asks, “Are there other Trump Organization properties that have derived revenue from foreign government patronage?”
CNN’s Bard Wilkinson contributed to this report.
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