Conflicts

ProPublica reveals decades of luxury travel/gifts to Justice Thomas; 2023 Judicial Conference narrows hospitality exemption

| Importance: 9/10

ProPublica documented years of undisclosed luxury travel and gifts for Justice Clarence Thomas from billionaire Harlan Crow and other benefactors. In March 2023, the Judicial Conference clarified that “personal hospitality” does not exempt disclosure of non-commercial transportation …

Justice Clarence Thomas Harlan Crow Judicial Conference of the United States judicial-ethics disclosures conflicts
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Trump Org and Inaugural Committee pay $750,000 to settle D.C. AG lawsuit over hotel overcharges

| Importance: 7/10

The D.C. Attorney General announced a $750,000 settlement resolving allegations that the Presidential Inaugural Committee and Trump Organization improperly overpaid for event space at the Trump International Hotel in January 2017. Defendants denied wrongdoing as part of the settlement.

District of Columbia Office of Attorney General Trump Organization Presidential Inaugural Committee (2017) nonprofit-law conflicts hotel
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Air Force review finds ~6% of Scotland overnights at Trump Turnberry; DHS OIG tallies USSS spend at resort during 2018 visit

| Importance: 6/10

An Air Force internal review reported that about 6% (39 of 659) of aircrew overnights near Prestwick Airport were at Trump Turnberry; most crews stayed closer to the airfield or in Glasgow. Separately, DHS OIG reported about $9,662 in Secret Service payments to Turnberry for rooms, golf carts, and …

U.S. Air Force U.S. Secret Service DHS Office of Inspector General Trump Turnberry travel-spending conflicts oversight
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During Sprint merger review, T-Mobile executives spent ~$195,000 at Trump's D.C. hotel

| Importance: 8/10

While seeking federal approval of the T-Mobile–Sprint merger, T-Mobile executives sharply increased spending at Trump International Hotel in Washington—about $195,000 on rooms, meeting space, and services—according to company letters and reporting. The company said the stays did not affect the …

T-Mobile US Sprint Trump International Hotel Washington FCC DOJ Antitrust Division +2 more merger-review lobbying conflicts corporate-influence regulatory-capture
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Brookfield takes 99‑year lease on Kushner's 666 Fifth Ave; role of Qatar-linked funds disputed

| Importance: 9/10

Brookfield acquired a 99‑year leasehold on the office portion of 666 Fifth Avenue from Kushner Companies, resolving a distressed financing situation. Public records and press accounts note that Qatar’s sovereign fund (QIA) was a major investor in Brookfield Property Partners, while Brookfield …

Brookfield Asset Management Kushner Companies Qatar Investment Authority Sen. Ron Wyden conflicts foreign-influence real-estate qatar
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China grants waves of Ivanka Trump trademarks as she serves in White House; ethics watchdogs flag conflicts

| Importance: 6/10

China’s trademark office granted final approval for 13 Ivanka Trump trademarks over three months in early 2018, and later provisionally approved 16 more in October 2018, according to AP reviews of official records. The brand said filings were routine defensive registrations; ethics groups …

Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump Marks LLC China National Intellectual Property Administration trademarks conflicts foreign-influence
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Records show at least ~$1.75–$2.0M in Secret Service spending at Trump properties during presidency

| Importance: 8/10

FOIA-released records compiled by watchdogs show the Secret Service spent nearly $2 million at Trump-owned properties while protecting the president and his family. A 2020 DHS OIG report on the Scotland trip documented specific Turnberry payments but noted incomplete cost capture due to system …

U.S. Secret Service DHS Office of Inspector General Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) Donald Trump Carolyn Maloney public-spending conflicts transparency financial-corruption
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