Trump's Washington hotel a conflict of interest: Democratic lawmakersWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump must divest his luxury Washington hotel in a building leased from the federal government because the arrangement violates conflict-of-interest rules, congressional Democrats said on Wednesday. The General Services Administration, which manages property owned by the federal government, including the Old Post Office  housing the Trump International Hotel, has said the lease would violate federal conflict-of-interest rules once the Republican businessman is sworn in on Jan. 20, according to a letter to the agency from lawmakers. The letter referred to a Dec. 8 briefing to congressional staffers by a GSA official whom the letter did not name. “The Deputy Commissioner made clear that Mr. Trump must divest himself not only of managerial control, but of all ownership interest as well,” Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland and three other Democrats said in the letter, which was made public on Wednesday. The hotel is a few blocks from the White House and has become a rallying point for anti-Trump protesters since it opened in September. It is among businesses that could create unprecedented conflicts of interest for Trump, a New York real estate developer and former reality TV star. Trump’s company has not responded to the GSA’s concerns about the potential conflict, the Democratic lawmakers said. They asked the agency for documents about the lease, profit and expense projections and legal memos about the conflict of interest. The hotel lease includes a standard GSA provision barring members of Congress or other elected federal officials - such as the president - from having any part of it.  Trump has said he will draw up documents that will remove him from day-to-day business operations. He had planned a Thursday news conference to disclose details, but put that announcement off until next month. Trump will address the hotel issue in January, spokesman Jason Miller told reporters. In response to the Democrats’ letter, the GSA said in a statement it could not speak definitively about divestment until Trump’s financial arrangements were completed and he had become president. The agency added, “To do so now would be premature.” Later on Wednesday, Cummings said Democrats still stood “100 percent behind” the letter, saying GSA informed their staff of the lease issue. Federal law does not prohibit the president’s involvement in private business while in office, even though lawmakers and executive branch officials are subject to conflict-of-interest rules.  But most presidents in recent decades have placed their personal assets in blind trusts so they do not know how their decisions influence their personal fortunes. Trump has said he plans to avoid the conflict issue by transferring control of his businesses to his oldest three children.  But the U.S. Office of Government Ethics said in a letter to Democratic Senator Tom Carper of Delaware on Monday that such a transfer would not qualify legally as a blind trust nor eliminate conflicts of interest. politicsNews
trump washington hotel conflict interest democratic lawmakerswashington reuters donald trump must divest luxury washington hotel building leased federal government arrangement violates rules congressional democrats said wednesday the general services administration manages property owned federal government including old post office housing trump international hotel said lease would violate federal rules republican businessman sworn according letter agency lawmakers the letter referred briefing congressional staffers gsa official letter name the deputy commissioner made clear trump must divest managerial control ownership interest well representative elias cuttings maryland three democrats said letter made public wednesday the hotel blocks white house become rallying point protesters since opened september it among businesses could create unprecedented conflicts interest trump new york real estate developer former reality tv star trump company responded gsa concerns potential conflict democratic lawmakers said they asked agency documents lease profit expense projections legal memos conflict interest the hotel lease includes standard gsa provision barring members congress elected federal officials president part trump said draw documents remove business operations he planned thursday news conference disclose details put announcement next month trump address hotel issue january spokesman jason miller told reporters in response democrats letter gsa said statement could speak definitively investment trump financial arrangements completed become president the agency added to would later wednesday cuttings said democrats still stood percent behind letter saying gsa informed staff lease issue federal law prohibit president involvement private business office even though lawmakers executive branch officials subject rules but presidents recent decades placed personal assets blind trusts know decisions influence personal fortunes trump said plans avoid conflict issue transferring control businesses oldest three children but office government ethics said letter democratic senator tom career delaware monday transfer would qualify legally blind trust eliminate conflicts interest politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Trump's Washington hotel a conflict of interest: Democratic lawmakersWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump must divest his luxury Washington hotel in a building leased from the federal government because the arrangement violates conflict-of-interest rules, congressional Democrats said on Wednesday. The General Services Administration, which manages property owned by the federal government, including the Old Post Office  housing the Trump International Hotel, has said the lease would violate federal conflict-of-interest rules once the Republican businessman is sworn in on Jan. 20, according to a letter to the agency from lawmakers. The letter referred to a Dec. 8 briefing to congressional staffers by a GSA official whom the letter did not name. “The Deputy Commissioner made clear that Mr. Trump must divest himself not only of managerial control, but of all ownership interest as well,” Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland and three other Democrats said in the letter, which was made public on Wednesday. The hotel is a few blocks from the White House and has become a rallying point for anti-Trump protesters since it opened in September. It is among businesses that could create unprecedented conflicts of interest for Trump, a New York real estate developer and former reality TV star. Trump’s company has not responded to the GSA’s concerns about the potential conflict, the Democratic lawmakers said. They asked the agency for documents about the lease, profit and expense projections and legal memos about the conflict of interest. The hotel lease includes a standard GSA provision barring members of Congress or other elected federal officials - such as the president - from having any part of it.  Trump has said he will draw up documents that will remove him from day-to-day business operations. He had planned a Thursday news conference to disclose details, but put that announcement off until next month. Trump will address the hotel issue in January, spokesman Jason Miller told reporters. In response to the Democrats’ letter, the GSA said in a statement it could not speak definitively about divestment until Trump’s financial arrangements were completed and he had become president. The agency added, “To do so now would be premature.” Later on Wednesday, Cummings said Democrats still stood “100 percent behind” the letter, saying GSA informed their staff of the lease issue. Federal law does not prohibit the president’s involvement in private business while in office, even though lawmakers and executive branch officials are subject to conflict-of-interest rules.  But most presidents in recent decades have placed their personal assets in blind trusts so they do not know how their decisions influence their personal fortunes. Trump has said he plans to avoid the conflict issue by transferring control of his businesses to his oldest three children.  But the U.S. Office of Government Ethics said in a letter to Democratic Senator Tom Carper of Delaware on Monday that such a transfer would not qualify legally as a blind trust nor eliminate conflicts of interest. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: trump washington hotel conflict interest democratic lawmakerswashington reuters donald trump must divest luxury washington hotel building leased federal government arrangement violates rules congressional democrats said wednesday the general services administration manages property owned federal government including old post office housing trump international hotel said lease would violate federal rules republican businessman sworn according letter agency lawmakers the letter referred briefing congressional staffers gsa official letter name the deputy commissioner made clear trump must divest managerial control ownership interest well representative elias cuttings maryland three democrats said letter made public wednesday the hotel blocks white house become rallying point protesters since opened september it among businesses could create unprecedented conflicts interest trump new york real estate developer former reality tv star trump company responded gsa concerns potential conflict democratic lawmakers said they asked agency documents lease profit expense projections legal memos conflict interest the hotel lease includes standard gsa provision barring members congress elected federal officials president part trump said draw documents remove business operations he planned thursday news conference disclose details put announcement next month trump address hotel issue january spokesman jason miller told reporters in response democrats letter gsa said statement could speak definitively investment trump financial arrangements completed become president the agency added to would later wednesday cuttings said democrats still stood percent behind letter saying gsa informed staff lease issue federal law prohibit president involvement private business office even though lawmakers executive branch officials subject rules but presidents recent decades placed personal assets blind trusts know decisions influence personal fortunes trump said plans avoid conflict issue transferring control businesses oldest three children but office government ethics said letter democratic senator tom career delaware monday transfer would qualify legally blind trust eliminate conflicts interest politicsnews