Chairs DeFazio and Titus Call for Public Hearing on Trump Organization’s Potential Sale of Old Post Office Building Lease and GSA Stonewalling
DeFazio and Titus: “We have serious concerns that this potential sale could result in violations of the Emoluments Clauses, national security risks, and ethics questions.”
Washington, DC — Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Dina Titus (D-NV) will be inviting the General Services Administration (GSA) to testify at a public hearing about the Trump Organization’s desire to sell its lease of the Old Post Office Building and the GSA’s stonewalling of Congress.
As Chair of the Committee, DeFazio issued a subpoena for financial records and legal memos relating to the Old Post Office Building lease to the Trump International Hotel on October 24, 2019. Under the advice of the Office of General Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Committee attempted to reach a reasonable accommodation with GSA to receive the documents, but GSA has continued to stonewall access to the majority of relevant documents. In a letter sent by Chairs DeFazio and Titus to GSA on December 20, 2019, they warned GSA that refusal to comply with the subpoena would result in a public hearing “so that you can explain to us and the American public why you have placed the President of the United States above the law.”
Chairs DeFazio and Titus are requesting confirmation on public testimony by Tuesday, January 14, 2020, from GSA Administrator Emily Murphy, Acting PBS Deputy Commissioner Allison Azevedo, and Lease Contracting Officer Kevin Terry.
In their letter to GSA Administrator Emily Murphy, Chairs DeFazio and Titus wrote: “…the agency you run continues to engage in a pattern of obstruction that is damaging to the federal government’s ability to manage taxpayer funds in a transparent manner. Your refusal to comply with the lawful subpoena sent by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is unacceptable. In addition, we have ongoing questions about GSA’s management of its leasing and outleasing program. Specifically, the Trump Organization has publicly stated its intention to sell its lease of the Old Post Office Building…We have serious concerns that this potential sale could result in violations of the Emoluments Clauses, national security risks, and ethics questions.”
A comprehensive timeline of the Committee’s investigation into this lease can be found here.
A full copy of the letter can be found below.
January 10, 2020
Ms. Emily W. Murphy
Administrator
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)
1800 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20405
Dear Administrator Murphy:
GSA’s response to our December 20, 2019, letter makes clear that the agency you run continues to engage in a pattern of obstruction that is damaging to the federal government’s ability to manage taxpayer funds in a transparent manner. Your refusal to comply with the lawful subpoena sent by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is unacceptable.
In addition, we have ongoing questions about GSA’s management of its leasing and outleasing program. Specifically, the Trump Organization has publicly stated its intention to sell its lease of the Old Post Office Building. Multiple news outlets have reported that the Trump Organization has set a bid deadline of January 23, 2020, for interest in purchasing the lease. We have serious concerns that this potential sale could result in violations of the Emoluments Clauses, national security risks, and ethics questions.
Therefore, we request that you join us at a public hearing of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management on Tuesday, January 28, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. in 2165 Rayburn House Office Building. We request the presence of Acting PBS Deputy Commissioner Allison Azevedo and Lease Contracting Officer Kevin Terry. Formal invitations to you, Ms. Azevedo, and Mr. Terry will be issued in conjunction with this letter. In addition to discussing GSA’s development and execution of the OPO lease, we will examine GSA’s role in the Trump Organization’s current effort to sell the OPO lease.
Please confirm your willingness to voluntarily appear at this hearing by Tuesday, January 14, 2020. Your staff should contact Ann Jacobs of the Majority staff on the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management with any questions about your appearance.
Sincerely,
PETER A. DeFAZIO DINA TITUS
Chair Chair
Subcommittee on Economic Development,
Public Buildings, and
Emergency Management
cc: The Honorable Sam Graves, Ranking Member
Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
The Honorable Mark Meadows, Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Economic Development,
Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
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