MEDIA ADVISORY: Concerned About Trump’s Conflicts of Interest, Activists to Deliver More Than 400,000 Petitions to Trump Hotel
Dec. 13, 2016
MEDIA ADVISORY: Concerned About Trump’s Conflicts of Interest, Activists to Deliver More Than 400,000 Petitions to Trump Hotel
On the Day of Trump’s Canceled Press Conference, Five Petition Delivery Events Are Scheduled Nationwide
WHAT: On the day of President-elect Donald Trump’s canceled press conference regarding how he will address the conflicts of interest created by his businesses, citizens and democracy advocates concerned about Trump’s conflicts will deliver petitions to the Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C. The event is one of five petition delivery events on Thursday.
The fact that Trump owns properties and has invested in corporations throughout the world creates an inherent conflict of interest between his roles as president and business owner. The conflicts will unavoidably influence policy-making in areas ranging from consumer protection to worker rights, tax to bankruptcy, responsibilities of government contractors to rights of victims of corporate wrongdoing to sue in court. Given the global nature of Trump’s business empire, the conflicts will materially affect the conduct of foreign policy.
Trump’s suggestion that he turn the businesses over to his children does not eliminate the conflict of interest because Trump will know how the assets are being handled and still could have a say in business operations.
Six groups – Common Cause, CREDO, Demand Progress, Every Voice, MoveOn and Public Citizen – have gathered more than 400,000 signatures regarding Trump’s conflicts of interests. Some petitions demand that Trump sell all his assets to a blind trust – a setup that means Trump would not know where the money from the sales is invested. Others also call for a congressional investigation into Trump’s conflicts of interest.
Activists will deliver petitions to Trump properties in New York City, Chicago, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. Activists also will deliver petitions to U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s (R-Pa.) office in Philadelphia.
WHO: A representative from Public Citizen
A representative from Common Cause
Jessica Washington, policy and program coordinator, Every Voice
WHEN: 12-1 p.m. EST Thursday, Dec. 15
WHERE: Trump Hotel, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington D.C.
For more information about the events, please see these Facebook pages:
D.C.: https://www.facebook.com/events/221220101654652/
Las Vegas: https://www.facebook.com/events/1748081488778489/
New York: https://www.facebook.com/events/380267772316127/
Philadelphia: https://www.facebook.com/events/1717030775280109/
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