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| Mar-a-Lago Doubles Its Initiation Fee as Membership Interest Swells | Mar-a-Lago Doubles Its Initiation Fee as Membership Interest Swells |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| ■ The Mar-a-Lago resort doubles its initiation fee — to $200,000 — leading to charges that the Trump Organization is cashing in on its founder’s power. | ■ The Mar-a-Lago resort doubles its initiation fee — to $200,000 — leading to charges that the Trump Organization is cashing in on its founder’s power. |
| ■ By President Trump’s definition of voter fraud, his senior adviser, Steve Bannon, his Treasury secretary nominee and one of his daughters could be swept up in the investigation. | ■ By President Trump’s definition of voter fraud, his senior adviser, Steve Bannon, his Treasury secretary nominee and one of his daughters could be swept up in the investigation. |
| ■ The Twitter rebellion seems to be spreading as the Defense Department weighs in on Muslim refugees. | ■ The Twitter rebellion seems to be spreading as the Defense Department weighs in on Muslim refugees. |
| The initiation fee at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida — which the president himself has called the Winter White House — has doubled to $200,000, after membership applications surged in the wake of Mr. Trump’s election, the head of membership there said. | |
| Bernd Lembcke, the managing director at the Palm Beach, Fla., club, said the change in the initiation fee had been planned last fall, before the election, and that $200,000 had been the fee before 2010, when it was cut in half because of the recession. | Bernd Lembcke, the managing director at the Palm Beach, Fla., club, said the change in the initiation fee had been planned last fall, before the election, and that $200,000 had been the fee before 2010, when it was cut in half because of the recession. |
| But Mr. Lembcke, who has been at the club for 21 years, said that it also reflected the upswing in Mar-a-Lago’s popularity. | But Mr. Lembcke, who has been at the club for 21 years, said that it also reflected the upswing in Mar-a-Lago’s popularity. |
| “We have had a sudden surge in requests,” he said, adding that new members must be recommended by someone who is already a member, as is the case at many private clubs. | “We have had a sudden surge in requests,” he said, adding that new members must be recommended by someone who is already a member, as is the case at many private clubs. |
| Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, a nonprofit group that promotes government ethics, said the move showed that Mr. Trump and his family intended to profit from his status as president. | Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, a nonprofit group that promotes government ethics, said the move showed that Mr. Trump and his family intended to profit from his status as president. |
| “At the minimum, this creates the appearance of cashing in the presidency and selling direct personal access to the president,” he said. “It is unacceptable. And it demeans the office of the presidency.” | “At the minimum, this creates the appearance of cashing in the presidency and selling direct personal access to the president,” he said. “It is unacceptable. And it demeans the office of the presidency.” |
| The new initiation fee went into effect on Jan. 1, although the annual dues remained the same — $14,000 a year, he said. | The new initiation fee went into effect on Jan. 1, although the annual dues remained the same — $14,000 a year, he said. |
| The club has 482 members, with a cap of 500. | The club has 482 members, with a cap of 500. |
| “It enhances it,” Mr. Lembcke said of Mr. Trump’s new job and its impact on the value of the membership. “His presidency does.” | “It enhances it,” Mr. Lembcke said of Mr. Trump’s new job and its impact on the value of the membership. “His presidency does.” |
| “But we are very careful in vetting them,” he added. | “But we are very careful in vetting them,” he added. |
| News about the change in the initiation fee was reported by CNBC. | News about the change in the initiation fee was reported by CNBC. |
| By President Trump’s definition, his senior White House adviser, Steve Bannon, is apparently committing voter fraud. | By President Trump’s definition, his senior White House adviser, Steve Bannon, is apparently committing voter fraud. |
| So is his nominee to be the next Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin. | So is his nominee to be the next Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin. |
| So, apparently, is one of his daughters, Tiffany Trump. | So, apparently, is one of his daughters, Tiffany Trump. |
| Mr. Trump was pretty broad with his definition of voter fraud when he took to Twitter Wednesday morning to request an investigation of the nefarious conduct of the 2016 electorate — with no evidence to support it. | Mr. Trump was pretty broad with his definition of voter fraud when he took to Twitter Wednesday morning to request an investigation of the nefarious conduct of the 2016 electorate — with no evidence to support it. |
| There is, in fact, a difference between investigating actual voter fraud and cleaning up the voter rolls. If you move states, you aren’t usually required to tell the state you are leaving that you no longer want to be on the roster. | |
| And so it goes that Mr. Bannon is registered in Sarasota County, Fla., and New York City. Mr. Mnuchin appears on the rolls of New York and California. And Tiffany Trump, should she choose, could potentially vote in Pennsylvania and New York. If she did, of course, that would be fraud. | |
| Now Melania Trump is fielding her own foreign leader calls. Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, called Mrs. Trump on Wednesday to congratulate her on becoming the first lady, according to the prime minister’s office. | Now Melania Trump is fielding her own foreign leader calls. Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, called Mrs. Trump on Wednesday to congratulate her on becoming the first lady, according to the prime minister’s office. |
| “The two of them look forward to seeing each other soon in Washington and to working together to strengthen the ties between Israel and the United States,” Mr. Netanyahu’s office said. | “The two of them look forward to seeing each other soon in Washington and to working together to strengthen the ties between Israel and the United States,” Mr. Netanyahu’s office said. |
| Their husbands spoke by telephone earlier in the week, and Mr. Trump invited Mr. Netanyahu to visit him in Washington next month. | Their husbands spoke by telephone earlier in the week, and Mr. Trump invited Mr. Netanyahu to visit him in Washington next month. |
| President Trump announced that he will nominate businessman and former military intelligence officer Philip Bilden as secretary of the Navy. | President Trump announced that he will nominate businessman and former military intelligence officer Philip Bilden as secretary of the Navy. |
| Mr. Bilden, who ran a private equity firm in Hong Kong until retiring three years ago, has expertise in both maritime affairs and Asia — two areas that are of central importance to the Navy. He was picked over an early Trump campaign backer, former Rep. J. Randy Forbes of Virginia. | Mr. Bilden, who ran a private equity firm in Hong Kong until retiring three years ago, has expertise in both maritime affairs and Asia — two areas that are of central importance to the Navy. He was picked over an early Trump campaign backer, former Rep. J. Randy Forbes of Virginia. |
| Mr. Bilden received a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard in 1991. | Mr. Bilden received a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard in 1991. |
| First came the reposting of photos by the National Park Service that clearly showed that President Trump’s inauguration crowd was smaller than former President Barack Obama’s in 2009. That was followed by a contrite apology and lots of pretty pictures. | First came the reposting of photos by the National Park Service that clearly showed that President Trump’s inauguration crowd was smaller than former President Barack Obama’s in 2009. That was followed by a contrite apology and lots of pretty pictures. |
| But the national parks took up the cause, with a Twitter storm on climate change from the Badlands that was quickly taken down. | But the national parks took up the cause, with a Twitter storm on climate change from the Badlands that was quickly taken down. |
| And lots more: | And lots more: |
| Now, with word that Mr. Trump is moving to shut down the flow of refugees and halt immigration from Muslim-majority nations, is the Defense Department joining the fray? | Now, with word that Mr. Trump is moving to shut down the flow of refugees and halt immigration from Muslim-majority nations, is the Defense Department joining the fray? |
| Incidentally, the National Park Service now says those Twitter posts from the Badlands came from a disgruntled former employee who had commandeered the account without permission. A National Park Service official said Tuesday: | |
| No official word on why so many other parks chimed in. | No official word on why so many other parks chimed in. |
| Mr. Trump may have thought he was being constructive when he weighed in on Chicago’s terrible murder rate, but his offer (or threat) of federal support has not gone over well — either with Chicago Democrats or small-government Republicans. | Mr. Trump may have thought he was being constructive when he weighed in on Chicago’s terrible murder rate, but his offer (or threat) of federal support has not gone over well — either with Chicago Democrats or small-government Republicans. |
| Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez, Democrat of Illinois was miffed. | Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez, Democrat of Illinois was miffed. |
| But Republicans weren’t too keen on the notion of the federal government swooping into to fight city crime. | But Republicans weren’t too keen on the notion of the federal government swooping into to fight city crime. |
| The Republican media consultant Rick Wilson noted the obvious: | The Republican media consultant Rick Wilson noted the obvious: |
| Perhaps Mr. Trump’s motivation isn’t much of a mystery. On Monday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago offered the president what he called “unsolicited advice.” | Perhaps Mr. Trump’s motivation isn’t much of a mystery. On Monday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago offered the president what he called “unsolicited advice.” |
| “You didn’t get elected to debate the crowd size at your inaugural,” Mr. Emanuel said. “Now, obviously, I wasn’t a supporter of then-candidate Trump. He got elected to make sure that people have a job, the economy continues to grow, people have security as it relates to their kids’ education, etc. And it wasn’t about your crowd size. It was about their lives and their jobs.” | “You didn’t get elected to debate the crowd size at your inaugural,” Mr. Emanuel said. “Now, obviously, I wasn’t a supporter of then-candidate Trump. He got elected to make sure that people have a job, the economy continues to grow, people have security as it relates to their kids’ education, etc. And it wasn’t about your crowd size. It was about their lives and their jobs.” |
| “The speech missed an opportunity to speak to our better angels as a country,” he said of the president’s inaugural address. | “The speech missed an opportunity to speak to our better angels as a country,” he said of the president’s inaugural address. |
| Or maybe Mr. Trump was just watching Bill O’Reilly on Fox News. | Or maybe Mr. Trump was just watching Bill O’Reilly on Fox News. |
| Who says former (and supposedly bitter) rivals can’t join forces in the spirit of Washington’s most unifying party — the “green” party? (That’s money, get it?) | Who says former (and supposedly bitter) rivals can’t join forces in the spirit of Washington’s most unifying party — the “green” party? (That’s money, get it?) |
| No emoluments clause apparently can stop the former Clinton and Trump campaign managers Robby Mook and Corey Lewandowski from hitting the road for paid gigs on the speaking circuit, which is precisely what the two will do together. Leading Authorities, a speakers’ bureau, said it is organizing the events as “future-focused” assessments of Donald Trump’s White House. The two will also “debate the day’s hot issues,” including cyber attacks. | No emoluments clause apparently can stop the former Clinton and Trump campaign managers Robby Mook and Corey Lewandowski from hitting the road for paid gigs on the speaking circuit, which is precisely what the two will do together. Leading Authorities, a speakers’ bureau, said it is organizing the events as “future-focused” assessments of Donald Trump’s White House. The two will also “debate the day’s hot issues,” including cyber attacks. |
| Mr. Lewandowski just recently set up shop down the street from the White House in a consulting and lobbying firm he runs with another former Trump adviser, Barry Bennett. | Mr. Lewandowski just recently set up shop down the street from the White House in a consulting and lobbying firm he runs with another former Trump adviser, Barry Bennett. |
| Update: The speaking agency has now deleted the material from its website. A representative for the firm told Buzzfeed that the listing was generated by them and not Mr. Mook and Mr. Lewandowski. | |
| Another update: Mr. Mook says no way, he never would have agreed to this buddy show. | Another update: Mr. Mook says no way, he never would have agreed to this buddy show. |
| His press aides won’t say what exactly is bothering Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, but something clearly has gotten his goat. | His press aides won’t say what exactly is bothering Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, but something clearly has gotten his goat. |
| It might be that the new administration has been slow to answer requests that date back to the Obama administration. | It might be that the new administration has been slow to answer requests that date back to the Obama administration. |
| Then again, his committee still hasn’t voted out the nomination of Mr. Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. | Then again, his committee still hasn’t voted out the nomination of Mr. Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. |
| With the Trump Organization under a very public microscope, the company said Tuesday that it has appointed two monitors — Bobby Burchfield and George Sorial — to keep tabs on any ethical issues that may arise. | With the Trump Organization under a very public microscope, the company said Tuesday that it has appointed two monitors — Bobby Burchfield and George Sorial — to keep tabs on any ethical issues that may arise. |
| The former has strong ties to Republican politics and the latter to President Trump. | The former has strong ties to Republican politics and the latter to President Trump. |
| Mr. Burchfield, a Washington lawyer who has represented George H.W. Bush and the Republican National Committee, was appointed as independent ethics adviser to the Trump Organization, meaning he will advise on avoiding conflicts of interest, with the power to sign off on certain transactions. | Mr. Burchfield, a Washington lawyer who has represented George H.W. Bush and the Republican National Committee, was appointed as independent ethics adviser to the Trump Organization, meaning he will advise on avoiding conflicts of interest, with the power to sign off on certain transactions. |
| A longtime Trump Organization executive, Mr. Sorial will now be chief compliance officer, giving him a lead role in ensuring that the company complies with ethics rules and standards, while also implementing new policies. | A longtime Trump Organization executive, Mr. Sorial will now be chief compliance officer, giving him a lead role in ensuring that the company complies with ethics rules and standards, while also implementing new policies. |
| The two will assume their roles at a time when Mr. Trump has said he is trying to remove himself from the activities of the business that carries his name. Mr. Trump said during a news conference on Jan. 11 that he would place his business in a trust controlled by his two adult sons — but some ethics experts have chided the plan for not going far enough to avoid conflicts. | The two will assume their roles at a time when Mr. Trump has said he is trying to remove himself from the activities of the business that carries his name. Mr. Trump said during a news conference on Jan. 11 that he would place his business in a trust controlled by his two adult sons — but some ethics experts have chided the plan for not going far enough to avoid conflicts. |