Democratic proposed bill would put new restrictions on donations to Trump's ballroom
In response to ongoing concerns about the funding for the construction of a massive, multi-million dollar presidential ballroom at the White House, some Democratic lawmakers are set to introduce the first piece of legislation aimed at regulating the project.
The new bill, set to be introduced Tuesday by Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia, would impose new limits on who can make donations to projects at the White House and would put new restrictions on donors and their funds after a donation is made.
"Billionaires and giant corporations with business in front of this administration are lining up to dump millions into Trump’s new ballroom — and Trump is showing them where to sign on the dotted line. Americans shouldn’t have to wonder whether President Trump is building a ballroom to facilitate a pay-to-play scheme for political favors. My new bill will put an end to what looks like bribery in plain sight,” Warren said in a statement to ABC News.
The Stop Ballroom Bribery Act comes in direct response to the ballroom construction at the White House. The entire East Wing of the White House was demolished to make way for Trump's 90,000-square-foot ballroom, aerial images of the East Wing obtained by ABC News show.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the $300 million project will not be funded with taxpayer dollars. In statements to the press in the Oval Office last month, Trump reiterated that the ballroom is being "paid for 100% by me and some friends of mine," referencing donors. "The government is paying absolutely nothing,” he said.
The White House claims to have made public a full list of donors for the project, but sources have told ABC News that some donors can remain anonymous.
Warren and Garcia’s bill would require greater transparency by prohibiting anonymous donations, requiring donors to disclose if they’ve had a meeting with anyone in the federal government including the president or the vice president, and would propose making it a requirement that the identity of all donors be made public.
Among the publicly disclosed donors are a number of large corporations with massive contracts with or pending lawsuits before the federal government. Companies such as Apple, Google, Palantir and Lockheed Martin have all donated multi-million dollar sums to the project.
Under the Democratic proposal reviewed by ABC News, many of these companies would be banned from making donations to the ballroom or similar projects at the White House. Those facing litigation or federal enforcement, seeking contracts or grants, or those who have received a pardon or presidential appointment from the sitting president would all be blocked from donating.
The legislation would also make clear that donations can't be coerced or made on the condition of a benefit from the federal government.
The bill would also impose restrictions on donations after they’re made by prohibiting the display of donor names or logos and requiring those who make donations to wait two years before lobbying the federal government.
"Donald Trump is raising hundreds of millions of dollars to build himself a White House ballroom at a time when millions of American families can barely make ends meet," Garcia said in a statement to ABC News. "It's outrageous that the White House won’t reveal who’s bankrolling Trump’s pet project, and that the people’s house could be funded by shady figures, corrupt money, and bad actors. This bill will ban contributions from anyone with a conflict of interest, prevent bribery, and ensure we can hold any administration accountable for blatant corruption."
If passed, the bill could also dampen Trump’s plans for other construction projects.
A White House official confirmed to ABC News that the president has raised $350 million for the ballroom project, more than the $300 million estimated cost. Trump told reporters in October the extra fund could possibly be used to help build a large triumphal arch -- modeled on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris -- that Trump has proposed constructing just outside Washington. Trump repeatedly referred to the arch as the “Arc de Trump” during a dinner in October.
This new bill, reviewed by ABC News, would apply to monuments or other structures that honor living presidents.
The bill does not currently have any Republican co-sponsors. It is highly unlikely that it would gain traction in either the House or the Senate, and even more unlikely that Trump would sign it into law.
