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| ‘Business as Normal’: Pence’s Stay at Trump Hotel in Ireland Follows a Trend | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence departed his hotel overlooking stunning vistas of the Atlantic Ocean just before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday for his official visit with Michael D. Higgins, the president of Ireland. It would be quite some time before he got there. | WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence departed his hotel overlooking stunning vistas of the Atlantic Ocean just before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday for his official visit with Michael D. Higgins, the president of Ireland. It would be quite some time before he got there. |
| There was the hourlong motorcade to the airport in Shannon, where he arrived at 9:30 a.m. Then the flight to Dublin, where Air Force Two landed at 10:29 a.m., and finally a short drive to Aras an Uachtarain, the presidential residence, and his meet-and-greet with Mr. Higgins, which started at 11:11 a.m. | There was the hourlong motorcade to the airport in Shannon, where he arrived at 9:30 a.m. Then the flight to Dublin, where Air Force Two landed at 10:29 a.m., and finally a short drive to Aras an Uachtarain, the presidential residence, and his meet-and-greet with Mr. Higgins, which started at 11:11 a.m. |
| The lengthy commute was necessary because of Mr. Pence’s choice of hotel: Rather than spending Monday night in Dublin, the vice president stayed 181 miles away by car on the other side of Ireland — at the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg. The person who suggested he stay there was the hotel’s owner himself, President Trump. | |
| “I don’t think it was a request, like a command,” Marc Short, Mr. Pence’s chief of staff, told reporters traveling with the vice president. “I think that it was a suggestion.” | “I don’t think it was a request, like a command,” Marc Short, Mr. Pence’s chief of staff, told reporters traveling with the vice president. “I think that it was a suggestion.” |
| And so Mr. Pence became part of a well-established trend among prominent Republicans, who since Mr. Trump rose to lead his party have become regular customers at his establishments. In total, nearly $20 million has been spent at the Trump family hotels since 2015 by various mostly Republican political groups, including Mr. Trump’s own political committees, according to a tally by the Center for Responsive Politics. | And so Mr. Pence became part of a well-established trend among prominent Republicans, who since Mr. Trump rose to lead his party have become regular customers at his establishments. In total, nearly $20 million has been spent at the Trump family hotels since 2015 by various mostly Republican political groups, including Mr. Trump’s own political committees, according to a tally by the Center for Responsive Politics. |
| Mr. Pence’s stay at the Trump hotel — which bills itself as “a new generation of style and service” — may have been the highest-profile example of a member of Mr. Trump’s inner circle patronizing one of the president’s businesses. But it was far from the first time that a top American official in Mr. Trump’s administration had picked one of the president’s hotels when needing a place to stay or to be seen. | Mr. Pence’s stay at the Trump hotel — which bills itself as “a new generation of style and service” — may have been the highest-profile example of a member of Mr. Trump’s inner circle patronizing one of the president’s businesses. But it was far from the first time that a top American official in Mr. Trump’s administration had picked one of the president’s hotels when needing a place to stay or to be seen. |
| Over all, at least 24 of the 32 individuals who have served in Mr. Trump’s cabinet and 26 of the 53 Republicans in the Senate have been spotted at or spent money at Trump International Hotel in Washington, according to a tally maintained by Zach Everson, who tracks visits to the hotel by foreign dignitaries, members of Congress and other Republicans. | Over all, at least 24 of the 32 individuals who have served in Mr. Trump’s cabinet and 26 of the 53 Republicans in the Senate have been spotted at or spent money at Trump International Hotel in Washington, according to a tally maintained by Zach Everson, who tracks visits to the hotel by foreign dignitaries, members of Congress and other Republicans. |
| “In a way it is business as normal,” said Mr. Everson, whose newsletter, called 1100 Pennsylvania, examines patronage by the politically connected at the hotel in Washington. “This is the way Republicans are supporting the president, by supporting his businesses.” | “In a way it is business as normal,” said Mr. Everson, whose newsletter, called 1100 Pennsylvania, examines patronage by the politically connected at the hotel in Washington. “This is the way Republicans are supporting the president, by supporting his businesses.” |
| Mr. Pence has family roots in Doonbeg, and the president suggested his hotel when he heard that the vice president was traveling there. “It’s like when we went through the trip, it’s like, ‘Well, he’s going to Doonbeg because that’s where the Pence family is from,’” Mr. Short said. “It’s like, ‘Well, you should stay at my place.’” | Mr. Pence has family roots in Doonbeg, and the president suggested his hotel when he heard that the vice president was traveling there. “It’s like when we went through the trip, it’s like, ‘Well, he’s going to Doonbeg because that’s where the Pence family is from,’” Mr. Short said. “It’s like, ‘Well, you should stay at my place.’” |
| Mr. Short said the vice president was personally covering the expenses of his wife, his mother and his sister, who are traveling with him. Still, the coterie of Secret Service personnel and other members of Mr. Pence’s traveling party staying there will mean a substantial bill paid by taxpayers — with some of that going to Mr. Trump’s hotel. | Mr. Short said the vice president was personally covering the expenses of his wife, his mother and his sister, who are traveling with him. Still, the coterie of Secret Service personnel and other members of Mr. Pence’s traveling party staying there will mean a substantial bill paid by taxpayers — with some of that going to Mr. Trump’s hotel. |
| Mr. Pence played down any criticisms of the hotel stay when reporters asked about it between meetings during his trip. | Mr. Pence played down any criticisms of the hotel stay when reporters asked about it between meetings during his trip. |
| “I understand political attacks by Democrats, but if you have a chance to get to Doonbeg, you’ll find it’s a fairly small place and the opportunity to stay at the Trump National in Doonbeg, to accommodate the unique footprint that comes with our security detail and other personnel, made it logical,” Mr. Pence said. | “I understand political attacks by Democrats, but if you have a chance to get to Doonbeg, you’ll find it’s a fairly small place and the opportunity to stay at the Trump National in Doonbeg, to accommodate the unique footprint that comes with our security detail and other personnel, made it logical,” Mr. Pence said. |
| But for Mr. Pence, the visit to Doonbeg was only the most recent instance in which he or his relatives have patronized Mr. Trump’s businesses. | But for Mr. Pence, the visit to Doonbeg was only the most recent instance in which he or his relatives have patronized Mr. Trump’s businesses. |
| His Great America Committee has spent more than $225,000 at Trump International Hotel in Washington since 2017, one of the largest vendor expenditures for the political committee. Great America Committee has also recently spent money at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, Federal Election Commission records show. | His Great America Committee has spent more than $225,000 at Trump International Hotel in Washington since 2017, one of the largest vendor expenditures for the political committee. Great America Committee has also recently spent money at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, Federal Election Commission records show. |
| Greg Pence, the vice president’s brother and an Indiana congressman, is another big spender at Trump International, paying more than $45,000 worth of bills at the hotel since 2017. | Greg Pence, the vice president’s brother and an Indiana congressman, is another big spender at Trump International, paying more than $45,000 worth of bills at the hotel since 2017. |
| As of last weekend, Mr. Trump himself had visited one of his family-owned properties on at least 293 days, or just over 30 percent of the days he has been in office. His most frequent destinations are his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and Trump golf courses in New Jersey and Virginia. And he has spent three days at Doonbeg since he took office. | As of last weekend, Mr. Trump himself had visited one of his family-owned properties on at least 293 days, or just over 30 percent of the days he has been in office. His most frequent destinations are his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and Trump golf courses in New Jersey and Virginia. And he has spent three days at Doonbeg since he took office. |
| “I have a very warm spot for Doonbeg, I will tell you that,” Mr. Trump said in March during an Oval Office visit by Prime Minister Leo Varadkar of Ireland. “And it’s just a great place. Really, a great place.” | “I have a very warm spot for Doonbeg, I will tell you that,” Mr. Trump said in March during an Oval Office visit by Prime Minister Leo Varadkar of Ireland. “And it’s just a great place. Really, a great place.” |
| The president spoke with equal enthusiasm about another of his hotels, Trump National Doral, near Miami, at the recent Group of 7 summit in France. Mr. Trump suggested that he might host next year’s meeting at the hotel. | The president spoke with equal enthusiasm about another of his hotels, Trump National Doral, near Miami, at the recent Group of 7 summit in France. Mr. Trump suggested that he might host next year’s meeting at the hotel. |
| “I think having it in Miami is fantastic,” Mr. Trump said last week. “Really fantastic. Having it at that particular place, because of the way it’s set up, each country can have their own villa, or their own bungalow. And the bungalows, when I say, they have a lot of units in them. So I think it just works out well.” | “I think having it in Miami is fantastic,” Mr. Trump said last week. “Really fantastic. Having it at that particular place, because of the way it’s set up, each country can have their own villa, or their own bungalow. And the bungalows, when I say, they have a lot of units in them. So I think it just works out well.” |
| The House Judiciary Committee has already announced that it intends to investigate how Mr. Trump appears to be driving business to his family operations. “The president’s personal financial interests are clearly shaping decisions about official U.S. government activities,” Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York and the panel’s chairman, said after Mr. Trump disclosed that he hoped to host the G7 event at Trump Doral. | The House Judiciary Committee has already announced that it intends to investigate how Mr. Trump appears to be driving business to his family operations. “The president’s personal financial interests are clearly shaping decisions about official U.S. government activities,” Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York and the panel’s chairman, said after Mr. Trump disclosed that he hoped to host the G7 event at Trump Doral. |
| Legal scholars have also questioned whether Mr. Trump’s actions — urging the vice president to stay at Doonbeg — might violate the so-called emoluments clauses of the Constitution. Presidents are prohibited from accepting any payment from the federal or state government, beyond their federal salary. But most of the focus related to that provision has to do with foreign governments making payments to Mr. Trump, by staying at a hotel. | Legal scholars have also questioned whether Mr. Trump’s actions — urging the vice president to stay at Doonbeg — might violate the so-called emoluments clauses of the Constitution. Presidents are prohibited from accepting any payment from the federal or state government, beyond their federal salary. But most of the focus related to that provision has to do with foreign governments making payments to Mr. Trump, by staying at a hotel. |
| Still, the patronage by the president and Republican Party leaders of Trump-owned properties comes as the Trump hotels have struggled on their own, annual financial disclosure reports by Mr. Trump suggest. Overall revenues at Trump-branded hotels in Chicago, Florida and Hawaii have lagged behind the hotel markets in those areas, in part hotel industry consultants said, because of damage to the brand Mr. Trump has caused during his tenure in the White House. | Still, the patronage by the president and Republican Party leaders of Trump-owned properties comes as the Trump hotels have struggled on their own, annual financial disclosure reports by Mr. Trump suggest. Overall revenues at Trump-branded hotels in Chicago, Florida and Hawaii have lagged behind the hotel markets in those areas, in part hotel industry consultants said, because of damage to the brand Mr. Trump has caused during his tenure in the White House. |
| The Doonbeg hotel and golf course generated $14.5 million in revenue for the Trump Organization last year, according to Mr. Trump’s annual financial disclosure, up 2 percent from 2017. | The Doonbeg hotel and golf course generated $14.5 million in revenue for the Trump Organization last year, according to Mr. Trump’s annual financial disclosure, up 2 percent from 2017. |
| Mr. Pence’s visit to Ireland was originally scheduled to be the last leg of a European trip. But the schedule was rejiggered after Mr. Trump directed Mr. Pence to stand in for him as an emissary on an official trip to Poland after the president canceled, citing the need to monitor Hurricane Dorian. On Thursday, Mr. Pence is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London. | Mr. Pence’s visit to Ireland was originally scheduled to be the last leg of a European trip. But the schedule was rejiggered after Mr. Trump directed Mr. Pence to stand in for him as an emissary on an official trip to Poland after the president canceled, citing the need to monitor Hurricane Dorian. On Thursday, Mr. Pence is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London. |
| On Tuesday, Mr. Pence boarded Air Force Two just before 5 p.m. for the two-and-a-half-hour trip back to Doonbeg, where he was scheduled to have dinner with a distant cousin at Morrissey’s Pub, down the road from Mr. Trump’s golf club. | On Tuesday, Mr. Pence boarded Air Force Two just before 5 p.m. for the two-and-a-half-hour trip back to Doonbeg, where he was scheduled to have dinner with a distant cousin at Morrissey’s Pub, down the road from Mr. Trump’s golf club. |