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Congressman Cohen Demands Answers from GSA Administrator

November 20, 2020

Murphy has failed to provide documents on Trump hotel lease

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today wrote to General Service Administration Administrator Emily Murphy, reminding her of longstanding document requests he made about the Old Post Office in Washington now operating as The Trump International Hotel. Murphy has declined to declare that Joe Biden is the President-elect, preventing the transition to a new administration to begin.

The letter reads in part:

"As a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I've been very alarmed by your handling of the Old Post Office Building, which was outleased by the GSA to Donald J. Trump in August 2013. The lease agreement explicitly prohibited any elected official of the U.S. Government from serving as a lessee or from obtaining any benefit that may arise from the lease. When Donald J. Trump became President of the United States, instead of working with our Committee to ascertain the various constitutional issues and conflicts of interests associated with the lease, you made it a priority to protect the President's personal and financial interests by refusing to provide necessary financial statements and legal memos. When I have contacted you requesting additional information on confidentiality clauses in GSA's outleases or obtaining a redacted lease for the Hotel Monaco, you have ignored my requests entirely or provided unhelpful, vague answers. It is very concerning that you seem more interested in protecting the President as a tenant rather than protecting the American people's interest as a lessor."

See the entire letter here.