Washington, D.C.— Today, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) and Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Ranking Member Greg Stanton (D-AZ) sent a letter to General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Edward Forst about the agency’s involvement with the renovation of the Roosevelt Hotel—which is owned by the state-run Pakistan International Airlines Corporation. While the members first raised concerns in a March subcommittee hearing, they are demanding more answers and pertinent documents after recent reporting alleged GSA hired Sullivan & Cromwell—a law firm with significant ties to the Trump administration—to provide legal services regarding this property.
“…[D]uring your March appearance before the Committee, you testified that the MOU only obligates the federal government to ‘work together to see if there is a very good outcome for that particular site,’” Ranking Members Larsen and Stanton wrote.
“GSA has failed to provide evidence that it has the legal jurisdiction to enter into a MOU with Pakistan or engage in the redevelopment of this private hotel,” the members continued.
“The selection of Sullivan & Cromwell in this closed-door process also raises concerns because of the firm’s deep ties to the current administration,” they continued. “The firm’s co-chairman, Robert Giuffra, leads a team of lawyers that represent President Trump in his personal capacity in various cases.”
Ranking Members Larsen and Stanton concluded by asking for answers about the federal government’s interest in the Roosevelt Hotel redevelopment, GSA’s legal authority to take on several billion dollars of debt, the process for selecting Sullivan & Cromwell and more.
To read the full letter, click here.
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