Donald Trump has an ugly new scandal, this time in Chicago
Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago has been the source of much activity over the years, with miscellaneous attempts to address this blight on our city skyline. There have been efforts to remove the giant gold lettering. The Trump Organization has never been able to attract any retailers in the first floor, and it has not had great success. It is also the center of some mysterious loans that Trump has entered into among his own companies with no good insights of money flow.
But it turns out, Trump’s grifting and crimes have no bounds. According to WGN TV:
“The Office of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said the tower uses more than 19 million gallons of river water a day before returning the water to the river at a warmer temperature.
“The Trump Hotel missed a 2017 deadline to renew the permit after having initially obtained it.
“Raoul’s office said the Trump Hotel has been in violation of state law for more than three years following the expiration of the permit.”
Judge Sophie Hall agreed with Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Raoul’s office stated: “The court found that the defendant is liable for violations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, Illinois Pollution Control Board regulations, and NPDES permit requirements related to timely renewal of its permit. While we are pleased with the decision, this does not conclude the litigation. No one is exempt from compliance with the laws that protect Illinois’ environment and most valuable natural resources, and we will continue to seek to hold the defendants accountable for violations of state environmental laws that jeopardized the quality of the Chicago River.” Trump again has violated law and will be held accountable.
Daniel is a lawyer writing and teaching about SCOTUS, and is the author of the book “The Chief Justices” about the SCOTUS as seen through the center seat.