The many unanswered questions surrounding the 58th PIC -Barrack & Trump -UPDATED with more receipts
This article will be largely reiterative of previous public reporting —I do think it’s important to re-read the copious public documents because 4+ years later the 54th PIC Audit is still elusive.
As with my standard practice I will provide you with access to the Original documents discuss herein. In addition let’s do a quick refresher on how you can obtain various public records from the IRS. A few factual data-points and refresher course on how to obtain the documents;
the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) are known as a 501(c)(4) and are assigned an EIN
It is also important that you know how much both Presidents Bush and Obama’s respective PICs brought in and spent. Understanding these facts actually put Trump’s 58th PIC into a much better context.
“No person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.”
Foreign Emoluments Clause Article I, Section 9, Clause 8;
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
In layman’s terms this means that any and all U.S. government officials/employees are prohibited in accept gifts or money from foreign officials or foreign countries. But as you’ll note the Constitution vest Congress with the power vote in allowing said official/employee to accept an emoluments. This is important because this relates directly to president Trump’s PIC and more broadly the largesses his “family run business” earned during his presidency. I’ll never fully understand why Congress didn’t act —given the numerous Emoluments Clause related lawsuits were largely tossed due to “lack of standing” —Trump and his greedy family flagrantly profited off of the presidency and no one held them accountable.
And no I’m going to pivot to the (false) narrative that Carter was forced to sell his peanut farm - I highly recommend you read this 2019 Washington Post Analysis of Carter and his peanuts. For the record a blind trust is not a revocable trust 12and remember that President Carter was sworn into office post Watergate, so the Government and more broadly the American Electorate “ethics in Government” was top of mind and front and center…
Carter was also subject to new ethics rules that he’d signed into law as the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 3. For his companies to be held in a true blind trust, he would have had to have maintained a strict wall between himself and Kirbo. But Kirbo still served as an adviser to Carter, with a June 1980 story in the Times noting that Kirbo was both a frequent guest at the White House and had advised the president on staffing decisions.
Bush and Obama previous Presidential Inaugural Committees…
President George W Bush’s PIC IRS-990 filings, 2005 raised a respectable amount (see Scribd link for his 2005/2006 IRS-990). Given there is no 3rd term for POTUS. Keep in mind that the two-term presidential limit, only came to be after 1951when Congress ratified the 22nd Amendment 4 on February 27, 1951 5. So from the inception of our Country’s birth until 1951 a duly elected President could have served more than two-terms. But I believe only FDR served more than two terms.
I would like to now draw your attention to page 5 -you’ll note that yes the PIC retained staff but none were paid. For now put a pin in that fact because I’ll come back to it later and it will put Trump’s PIC filings front and center to the beautiful and glorious sunlight…
President Obama’s PIC 2008 raised an eye popping $55.2Million, I believe at the time this fundraising set a new record. See Scribd Link for Obama’s PIC 2008/2009 IRS-990
But it is important to remember that President Obama’s first inauguration was a top tier, star studded event and HBO purchased the exclusive rights to President Obama’s first inauguration, We are One - at the time there was a lot of consternation that Obama was paying some of the PIC leadership -I now refer you to page 7 of Obama’s 2008/2009 PIC IRS-990 filing. Those are not exceptionally high salaries, at all. And to falsely suggest that they are - wait until I show you what Trump’s 58th PIC paid.
the FEC database of Obama’s 1st Inaugural Committee is pretty robust - see FEC link to PDFs of various reports filed - also see FILING FEC-429146, specifically SCHEDULE 13-A—yes I know that FEC filings are public records but I don’t ever want to appear as intentionally or unintentionally doxing any individual(s) —for now put a pin in this because I’ll come back to it when comparing Trump’s PIC FEC filings, same report has names completely removed and I’d like to know who at the FEC authorized this unprecedented opaqueness, as it relates to Trump.
See President Obama’s 2nd PIC - see Scribd Link for President Obama’s second inauguration committee’s IRS-990 for 2012/2013. Again he raised a respectable amount but not nearly as much as his first inauguration.
And at the time several watchdog groups decried Obama’s failure to fully disclose his donors and aggressively questioned where did the remaining PIC funds go. For Example Project Sunlight Foundation wrote no less than eight scathing articles about Obama’s PIC - also you’ll note in the 2012/2013 Obama PIC IRS-990 the salaries were inline with the previous PIC, see page 7
Now that you have a pretty solid baseline of Facts, turning your attention to Donald J Trump, Thomas Barrack, Rick Gates and Ivanka Trump. Things are going to get very uncomfortable for the aforementioned and auxiliary individuals like Jill Holtzman Vogel
Donald J Trump the largest grift of his corrupt life…
On November 21, 2021 the 58th Inaugural Committee filed their Articles of Incompetence I mean incorporation with the Virginia State Corporation Commission -just to reiterate there’s nothing super secret to the documents I’ve provided. These are public documents, all you need to know is where and what to look for.
58th Inaugural Commission VA SCC Certified Filings:
Again there’s nothing magical that I’m doing. You simply need to know where and what to look for… see Scribd Link to the Certified VA SCC filings
I know that some of you might be sick of hearing me write about Articles of Corruption—darn I mean Incompetence, oh lord what is wrong with me, I mean the 58th PIC Articles of Incorporation —also Jill you are never going to hold public office again between the 2017 Jerry Springer-esq madness you probably shouldn’t have your bar license either. Also trust me on this - in your internet browser type in: hvtj.law
Come on do you really think I’m not going to give you real time receipts to back up my assertion(s) —sheesh have I taught you nothing. Because I’ll give you receipts and you’ll like them… I’m being highly sardonic.
This is one of the many reasons I like to source original documents because if you take a few moments to read the original filings —well that can help you in formulating various questions and/or a better informed opinion. Because Jill’s firm signed her name to this subterfuge which is also dripping in obfuscation…
Reasonable Compensation you say?
Again see the previously provided Scribd Link to the 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee for the Certified VA SCC filing, Articles of Incorporation
No part of the net income of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of or be distributed to its directors, officers, or other private persons, except that the Corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services actually rendered, to reimburse expenses incurred by others, and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purpose and objects set forth in this Second Article.
58th PIC IRS-990s 4 separate filings
As a refresher President Bush raised a few million for his PIC, President Obama raised >$55.Million and in 2012/2013 President Obama raised >$36.7Million and what did Donald “Jabroni” Trump raise?
Again there is nothing magical about obtaining the various IRS-990 forms, all you need is the non-profit’s name 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee and/or EIN: 81-4463688
And just like that you now have access to the same public documents I have embedded in this article. No really there’s no unicorn magic here. I genuinely like to provide my readers/followers with various tutorials on how they too can obtain the same documents. Because I’m trying to help educate you so if and when I call it a wrap, at least you’ll know how to find the facts -provided you’ve retained my mini-classroom research class(es). Or not.
Raised a staggering $106,752,308.00
Filed in February of 2018 - 58th PIC 2016/2017 IRS-990 -the disclosed expenses are insane. The travel expenses >$9.5Million. Not to belabor this point but Trump’s 58th PIC raised more than double of what Obama’s 1st PIC raised and nearly triple what Obama’s 2nd PIC raised. Again there was nothing star studded about Trump’s Inauguration. FFS 3Doors down and two other Country singers “donated” their performances. That’s itemized in the amended 58th PIC IRS-990 (the one filed in September 2019) —off the top of my head I believe the “in kind” donations were greater than $809K
The venue Rental was mainly spent at Trump International Hotels - in the Washington DC, Attorney General January 2020 Complaint6 -hence the domestic emoluments issue (the foreign emoluments clause comes into play with both foreign straw-donors and later foreign governments spending hundreds of thousand on Trump’s shitty DC hotel) —if you’ve ever visited a Trump property then you’ll understand why I consistent chide them as tacky, gaudy and poorly tasted as it related to interior design. It’s the typically “flash the cash” to make it look more opulent—when it comes off as trying too hard… I digress but seriously it reminds me of the Flynn 302 when the FBI agents stated “Flynn said Trump was a great interior designer” <—that’s not an exaggeration. That’s what the 302 said/
December 10, 2016, the Trump Hotel emailed the PIC an initial quote of $3.6million for use of all event space at the hotel for eight days, with this price including event space rentals and minimum food and beverage charges. This amounted to $450,000 per day for the space. This quote was significantly more than the Trump Hotel’s internal pricing guidelines for use of this event space.
Stephanie Winston-Wolkoff is an American Patriot
I genuinely mean this we owe an immense amount of gratitude to @SWinstonWolkoff —she sounded the alarm and yet the Trumps using their immense power somehow managed to convince numerous well known reporters to write horrible and non-factual articles about her. Ms Winston-Wolkoff nearly lost her decades long career, her family was targeted and worst of all a years long friendship turned out to be a one-sided life lesson.
One need only read paragraphs 22 thru 33 to see how she sounded the alarm while trying to have her former friend’s best interest— how was she rewarded? Selective and out of context leaks from Ivanka, Melanie (I know it’s Melania) and Donald with the express goal of making Ms Winston-Wolkoff the preverbal scape goat…
Thankfully the truth and facts are now properly being reported and the fact that Ms Winston-Wolkoff’s meticulous records helped clear her name. Yet still the false and misleading whispers that the Trumps intentionally released continue to follow her like a cloud. You do understand how much Ms Winston-Wolkoff sacrificed and she continues to be targeted. It’s just wrong.
Again I’m in the process of writing two follow up articles. But I felt like it made sense to tie these threads together. I’m not on Twitter anymore but I unreservedly suggest that you follow @SWinstonWolkoff —You should also amplify her tweets. She’s a truth teller and I happen to respect strong ass “boss ladies” who won’t back down and stand tall speaking the truth.
Obama versus Trump - Presidential Inaugural Committees.
Now let’s do a head to head comparison between Obama and Trump - this is where I start to wonder how on earth did Hargrove Inc invoice for $25M - whereas Obama’s PIC only paid $450K
Oddly when you run a FEC Query - there’s no $25+Million disbursement from 58th PIC to Hargrove Inc. I mean did you see Trump’s Inaugural Events? They were absolutely shitty - no real star power, no entertainment, the galas were a run-away train derailments of epic proportion.
True story back in 2017 my member of Congress reached out to me to offer me free tickets to one of the galas. Previously these kind of tickets were extremely hard to get unless you were willing to make a sizable donation (more than $25K) but no they offered me tickets for free. Without missing a beat my response was: I’m flattered that you thought of me, but respectfully I’m a hard pass… later in the Spring their office called and essentially begged me to bring the kids to the Easter Egg Roll. Again hard pass. Now where was I - oh yes …
Because the 58th PIC paid; $3,747,431.00 paid to David Monn for “event production services” -Can anyone else please explain why on David Mann’s corporateInstagram Account there are exactly ZERO IG’s post about the 58th PIC? —furthermore when I ran a general FEC Query using David Monn as the search perimeters - nothing, zero, zip, zilch -in FEC Disbursements.
I even ran various wildcard queries and to date I can not find any FEC “disbursement” to David Monn - see his “the book” which appears to be a photographic resume of past events he’s designed. The IRS-990 for the 58th PIC shows it paid him more than $3.7 million and yet there’s nothing in the FEC database. Commonsense would dictate that if your company was selected to “plan inauguration events” wouldn’t you advertise that as to attract new customers? Conversely I could also see why you wouldn’t because of the Trump-taint
Back to the 58th PIC 2016/2017 IRS-990 Filing which was originally filed in February of 2018, see my Scribd Profile as I’m getting ready to unlock nearly half a dozen documents I researched for this article. I trust and respect my readers/followers enough to know they will read the original documents and it will help them formulate a “better informed” opinion…
Remember how I said “put a pin in the PIC Compensation” well this is why I put a placeholder down, in the 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee’s 2017/2018 IRS-990 Filing, which was also filed in September 2019, the compensation is substantially higher than any other PIC…
I now refer you to page 7 -setting aside the fact that Rick Gates admitted (presumably part of his plea agreement 7) that he had embezzled monies from the 58th PIC - also notice the name Gineen Bresso? Well during the Deposition of Tom Barrack, conducted by the Washington DC Attorney General’s Office -Barrack rolled on Bresso pretty hard (also this explains why the DC AG started “predicate” questions about Barrack’s role serving on any tax exempt organizations, because the PIC are in fact tax exempt. 8
On March 23, 2020 the 58th PIC filed their 2018/2019 IRS-990 - see Scribd Link for the highlighted and annotated copy of their Form 990…notice how Tom Barrack’s name is no longer listed as the principal officer? Yet he’s still listed as a Director.
Well after reading the partial deposition it certainly appears Tom Barrack perjured himself during the Washington DC Attorney General November 2020 Deposition…yes I know that sounds pretty bad and one might argue I’m making a specious accusation - but AM. I. ?
Now what’s kind of interesting is the sheer amount paid by the 58th PIC during 2018-2019 - apparently math is hard because some of the figures reported actually do not add up (no pun intended) I tabulated it 6 times to ensure I wasn’t “fat fingering” my abacus (I’m kidding I don’t use an abacus) because that’s a LOT of money for legal services and I can’t help.but wonder did Barrack have the 58th PIC pay his legal fees - you know where he repeatedly lied to the FBI…
And because you can’t ever accuse me of half-___ing reporting, I need a minute to unlock the numerous documents I uploaded to my Scribd Account -it’s actually nine documents not six…apologies apparently math is hard
—so what’s the point? Repeat after me
Where. Did. All. The. Money. Go?
Where is the audit?
Why are the FEC records shrouded in secrecy?
-extra Spicy today
PS - 58th Inaugural Committee FEC filingx
58TH PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL COMMITTEE ACTIVE PARTY - NONQUALIFIED
It should not be this difficult trying to obtain statutorily required Open records. Whereas other PIC’s FEC records are pretty easy to access - yet Trump’s 58th PIC is unreasonably shrouded in an opaque cloth. For Example the 58th PIC appears to have neglected to file the prerequisite Statement of Organization. The 58th PIC FEC filings are a chaotic train wreck of questionable accounting.
I’m not entirely sure what’s going on with the FEC database but the intermittent http 503 error for the pasty 48 hours makes doing deeper dive researcher harder than it needs to be. Earlier today the error messages vacillated between 404 and 410 and 503 — https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00629584/?tab=filings - I should have downloaded the PDFs earlier today but I moved on to researching other matters, germane to this article. I might go back and do a deeper dive. Which will likely lead to publishing a follow up article in the near future.
58th PIC FEC Complaints
On May 2, 2017 the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) lodged a formal complaint with the FEC concerning the 58th PIC’s delay in filing their mandatory reports within 60 days. Also here’s a free pro-tip (because most might not understand how Federal Campaign Finance Reports and the legal framework) …
FEC Enforcement Database:
Many might be unaware of the various FEC databases but you should probably bookmark this
https://eqs.fec.gov/eqs/searcheqs <—again all public information provided you know where and what to look for. The MUR# is how the FEC tracks formal FEC complaints, think of its as a “case number”. The added benefit is you can run a general query using the MUR# and the FEC will populate the MUR # FEC file(s) within the MUR #.
If you’ll recall during in the Spring of 2019 and late Autumn of 2020 I created several FEC threads and I walked you through nearly 9K+ pages of Trump’s various FEC filings. I walked my Twitter followers through the dozens of dead people that donate tens of thousands of dollars to Trump or to his PAC. I tried to find any archive of those threads to no avail. This is particularly frustrating because it was a ton of tedious research, cross referencing FEC fine letter(s) with various State Vital Records and published obituaries.
To be fair dead people don’t donate tens of hundreds of thousands of dollars. But yes sometimes dead people set up monthly donations but again they are typically modest in terms of monies donated.
In the April 2017 CLC’s complaint they made note that the Inaugural Committee acknowledged numerous errors in their (untimely) filing. These errors ran the gauntlet - but the CLC Complaint cited;
83 donations under five different names from the address of the National Republican Senatorial Committee ("NRSC");
four separate donations over two days from the same individual from four different addresses in three different states;
a donation of $25,000 in the name of Katherine Johnson whose purported home address was NASA's Langley, Virginia, Research Center
Inaugural Committee reported a $400,000 donation from Isabel T. John with an address that is an empty lot.
A combined total of $I million total of $I million from four LLCs on the same day. All of these donations were reported as coming from the same address in Portland, Oregon—the home address of the registered agent for the four LLCs, who is also a hotel executive in Portland.
The CLC Complaint surmises that these donations, and others like them, could be likely be from straw donors. CLC further alleged that the 58th PIC donor addresses associated with specific donor access codes, which the Committee provided to donors who sought to purchase tickets from the Inaugural Committee's website.
CLC further alleged; “a secondary market for these codes sprang up, and the actual buyer of a ticket was often not the person who secured the access code” —to be quasi fair and objective that allegation could be construed as conclusory and possibly speculative, at best.. But the allegations asserted in the 2nd paragraph are actually affirmed by the 58th PIC IRS-990s, specifically their February 2018 and “amended” September 2019 (both IRS-990s were previously embedded/ linked in the article..
—Not later than the date that is 90 days after the date of the Presidential inaugural ceremony, the committee shall file a report with the Federal Election Commission, disclosing any donation of money or anything of value made to the committee in an aggregate amount equal to or greater than $200.
Which requires Presidential Inaugural Committees to file reports which provide an itemization of funds raised and funds spent. Trump’s 58th PIC didn’t file any paperwork until April 18, 2017 - nearly 30 days late. Ultimately the FEC Closed MUR# 7244 in October 2017 -citing Heckler v. Chaney, 470 U.S. 821 (1985) as the rationale.
11/15/2017 —General Counsel's Report “While Revv maintains that it committed no violation, it nonetheless refunded $5 to the Complainant on July 13, 2017”
The persistent and pervasive problem with Trump’s use of Win-Red and Revv, the issue of reoccurring donation has plagued Trump since at least the Spring of 2016, and by August of 2016, Mic published their findings. While some former Trump supporters may have claimed “canceling a reoccurring donation is impossible” the fact is it is extraordinarily difficult to cancel, not impossible.
Earlier this year the New York Times published an extraordinary analysis -the reporters reviewed thousand of pages of Donald J Trump FEC filings, various FEC enforcement letters. For 2020 alone, cumulatively speaking Trump's reelection campaign, issued over $122.7 million in refunds. As the New York Times’ investigative report elucidates, this represents nearly 11% of the money it raised was ultimately refunded….for now I’m going to pause and likely amend this article within the next few days…
You’ll note that in the March 2017 DC Liquor License -Letter; Weisselberg is listed as a Trustee for Trump’s Revocable Trust- I’ve previously mentioned this fact, as recently as May 2021 and July 2021 - should you be inclined previously published articles surrounding Trump & Weisselberg & the Revocable Trust, found here
See GPO link for the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 - last accessed July 23, 2021 .https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2010-title5/pdf/USCODE-2010-title5-app-ethicsing.pdf this is yet another area where career Government officials put their heads in the sand and pretended that Trump’s totally the most trustworthy and ethical politician God ever created (note my extreme sarcasm)
Section 1 reads in part: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once….”
Section 2 reads in part: “This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress”
U.S. v. Richard W. Gates III (1:17-cr-201, District of Columbia) - Richard W. Gates III of Richmond, Va., pleaded guilty on Feb. 23, 2018, to a superseding criminal information that includes: count one of the indictment, which charges conspiracy against the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 (which includes conspiracy to violate 26 U.S.C. 7206(1), 31 U.S.C. 5312 and 5322(b), and 22 U.S.C. 612, 618(a)(1), and 618(a)(2)), and a charge of making false statements to the Special Counsel’s Office and FBI agents, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001.
look I told you that the DC AG’s exhibits were like >830+ pages long and your added benefit is if I read something once I can typically recall the document and what was said within a split second. - see Barrack Depo excerpt - he kind of rolled on all the ladies he paid to tun the 58th PIC -see pages 42 thru 45 of November 17, 2020 Deposition
You always tell us how we can get the public documents ourselves..BUT...there's no way we could match your "enthusiasm". Most of us would read and analyze these receipts like we needed to pass an exam. You give us the dirtiest dirt that you turn into mud pies with sprinkles and we devour all of it.
And your DC knowledge brings it to life.
I can try to do some research and I end up with more little cheat sheets of explanations/definitions than the original documents. Same way I review my own biopsies.
I don't know how you do it but I hope you have some type of teaching position. There are future generations that need your passion for truth.
You always tell us how we can get the public documents ourselves..BUT...there's no way we could match your "enthusiasm". Most of us would read and analyze these receipts like we needed to pass an exam. You give us the dirtiest dirt that you turn into mud pies with sprinkles and we devour all of it.
And your DC knowledge brings it to life.
I can try to do some research and I end up with more little cheat sheets of explanations/definitions than the original documents. Same way I review my own biopsies.
I don't know how you do it but I hope you have some type of teaching position. There are future generations that need your passion for truth.
Thank you.
As always the best! I am still giggling about you fat fingering an abacus!