The definition of insolvency is when one's liabilities exceed one's assets. If there is anyone in all of America who meets this definition, it is Donald Trump. He is morally, ethically, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and temperamentally bankrupt. And, yet, here he is, the presumptive Presidential nominee of the Republican Party. Need more be said about the sad state of the Republican Party?
209
So, a man who should be in prison for refusal to pay his debts, may become president of the United States? And the media continue to refer to him affectionately as "The Donald?" This is not happening.
132
Why didn't this expose of Trump's sordid business practices and pathetically stupid business decisions come out when Trump first started his campaign?
He keeps saying that he and his companies have employed thousands. How many of those has he stiffed?
His business model seems to be to lure investors and banks into investing their money in an enterprise, defrauding them by looting the enterprise and then filing bankruptcy and litigation to beat the creditors into giving him debt relief.
And his recent suggestion of stiffing our international creditors in order to get more favorable treatment and his crude attempt to influence the judge in Trump University indicates that this particular leopard is not changing his spots.
How can Republicans in good conscience support this deeply unethical businessman?
He keeps saying that he and his companies have employed thousands. How many of those has he stiffed?
His business model seems to be to lure investors and banks into investing their money in an enterprise, defrauding them by looting the enterprise and then filing bankruptcy and litigation to beat the creditors into giving him debt relief.
And his recent suggestion of stiffing our international creditors in order to get more favorable treatment and his crude attempt to influence the judge in Trump University indicates that this particular leopard is not changing his spots.
How can Republicans in good conscience support this deeply unethical businessman?
161
Since I have been a huge fan of Mel Brooks forever & have viewed his film the Producers many times, I saw that Trump stole his business model from the Producers in his Casino enterprises. Trump apparently also liked the film & learned the lesson to make sure to fail so as to not need to account for where the money went. All those who provided goods, services & labor to build & open a Trump casino were left chasing their tails while Trump & his insiders skimmed off exorbitant fees & salaries & also made sure his favored friends got overpaid
Never thought the Producers would produce such an unintended consequnce
Never thought the Producers would produce such an unintended consequnce
81
So, having bamboozled the banks, the boards, the courts, the creditors, the vendors and the investors, Mr. Trump now takes his dog-and-pony show to the American people so that he can swindle them, too.
I can see him now, having presided over the US for 8 years and now retiring, he boards his Trump Presidential Jet. Then His Royal Hairness turns to face the clamoring hoards of reporters, congressmen, cabinet members, Joint Chiefs and all of The Little Guys and proclaims "The economy, the US credit score and The Fed may be in a tailspin, but I got out at just the right time and I made billions!!!"
I can see him now, having presided over the US for 8 years and now retiring, he boards his Trump Presidential Jet. Then His Royal Hairness turns to face the clamoring hoards of reporters, congressmen, cabinet members, Joint Chiefs and all of The Little Guys and proclaims "The economy, the US credit score and The Fed may be in a tailspin, but I got out at just the right time and I made billions!!!"
121
The entire Atlantic City casino industry is going down as a whole. Whose fault is that? Mr. Trump to be blamed also? Certainly not.
11
And if America elects such an unqualified, selfish, lying, deceiving, degenerate person as POTUS, then America deserves exactly what it will get. However, I hope America believes she deserves better than Trump. I really hope so.
73
Trump makes money when he self-deals and stiffs the other parties to the business..
When he has to compete on a level playing field, he doe not do so well.
Example: He bough the Plaza Hotel for $407.5 million. When it was going bankrupt, he sold it for $325 million, after losing money on operations every year.
That purchaser later sold it for $675 million.
The second purchaser sold half of the Plaza Hotel as condos for $1.4 Billion.
So Donnie Boy LOST money, and the next two owners each at least DOUBLED their money. Great businessman, that Donald.
Trump is a fraud and a liar.
When he has to compete on a level playing field, he doe not do so well.
Example: He bough the Plaza Hotel for $407.5 million. When it was going bankrupt, he sold it for $325 million, after losing money on operations every year.
That purchaser later sold it for $675 million.
The second purchaser sold half of the Plaza Hotel as condos for $1.4 Billion.
So Donnie Boy LOST money, and the next two owners each at least DOUBLED their money. Great businessman, that Donald.
Trump is a fraud and a liar.
152
How would Trump interact with the leaders of our allies, not to mention our rivals and potential enemies? According to this account, Trump deals with everyone the same way . . . fawning, threatening, deceiving, lying, and repeating these sordid, immature character traits over and over again. And this was with large sums of money at stake! How would a lout like Trump behave on the world stage? We already know the answer.
66
Thirty years ago this month I was working on a smallish project in Manhattan. One of our partners had just wrapped up a deal with Trump and gave this quick analysis of his methods. He baited any contractor, tenant, or associate with promise of great success and future projects, and then either re-negotiated or, when the fish was small enough, outright refused to pay the contracts. Negotiations on a project like Trump Tower can be grueling, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of broken promises. Few worked with him twice.
New York Developers are a tough breed, you have to know which palms to grease, and when to be fair. But most shy away from outright theft, because in the long run, it’s bad for business. Relationships count. Trump isn’t hampered by that ethical constraint, because he’s a hit and run con artist, the future for him is always down the road. Notice that there is no Trump Tower II.
We need help him find his way. In the words of P.T. Barnum: “This way to the Egress”.
New York Developers are a tough breed, you have to know which palms to grease, and when to be fair. But most shy away from outright theft, because in the long run, it’s bad for business. Relationships count. Trump isn’t hampered by that ethical constraint, because he’s a hit and run con artist, the future for him is always down the road. Notice that there is no Trump Tower II.
We need help him find his way. In the words of P.T. Barnum: “This way to the Egress”.
129
Let us hope that Trump does not have the opportunity to do to the country what he did in the casino world in Atlantic City. If this is a talented business man, the talent lies only in getting as much money for himself at the cost of anyone who dealt with him!
64
Substitute the US for Trump's businesses and you can pretty much predict what will happen if he becomes President. The Tiger can't change his stripes. If elected, he'll never finish his term. Congress will see how uncontrollable he is and revolt, finally demonstrating some backbone. Our job is to make sure they never get that chance.
45
Why is anyone surprised that Trump shafted investors, creditors, subcontractors, etc.? He shafts people of all races (except male whites), and has a breathtaking list of underhanded deals, shady relationships, failed businesses, unwarranted insults, racist comments, made up facts….. And how about threatening a judge?
Trump respects no one other than himself, as he's shown over and over again. And other than worldly pleasures for himself, all Trump desires and craves is attention and headlines, regardless of the reason for the headline.
Rick Reilly's 2003 book ‘Who's Your Caddy? describes Rick’s 3 hour job caddying for Trump, noting: “Trump very much likes attention. For himself, yes, but also for his hotels, his apartments, his casinos, his office buildings… his golf courses. He understands the value of free publicity. He craves it, lives for it, screams for it.” This describes Trump 'to a T'.
Republican leaders who support Trump will find that support to be a death knell to their political futures. After November, voting members of the public will call on these elected Republican officials to explain their support for someone with such vile character and values, and will remember the endorsement these officials made as they enter voting booths.
Fortunately, a number of Republican leaders have not hidden under a rock and cried surrender. Gov. Romney and Senators Graham, Sasse, Flake and Kirk have shown they have guts and respect for human life and dignity.
Trump respects no one other than himself, as he's shown over and over again. And other than worldly pleasures for himself, all Trump desires and craves is attention and headlines, regardless of the reason for the headline.
Rick Reilly's 2003 book ‘Who's Your Caddy? describes Rick’s 3 hour job caddying for Trump, noting: “Trump very much likes attention. For himself, yes, but also for his hotels, his apartments, his casinos, his office buildings… his golf courses. He understands the value of free publicity. He craves it, lives for it, screams for it.” This describes Trump 'to a T'.
Republican leaders who support Trump will find that support to be a death knell to their political futures. After November, voting members of the public will call on these elected Republican officials to explain their support for someone with such vile character and values, and will remember the endorsement these officials made as they enter voting booths.
Fortunately, a number of Republican leaders have not hidden under a rock and cried surrender. Gov. Romney and Senators Graham, Sasse, Flake and Kirk have shown they have guts and respect for human life and dignity.
50
Republicans, do you really want to vote for this guy? The reasoning that Hilary is so distasteful that you must vote for Trump is losing credibility. It is sad to see such plain dumb stubbornness over rule common sense.
58
To Trump fans: The cheated "little guys" in the article are you.
That's how he thinks of you—not as honest hard workers, but someone to be fleeced, because you're too little to come after him. That's what his word is worth—"See if you can get it out of me in court." That's how he made millions—not by being "a good businessman" but by making "deals" that in the end only paid off for him.
Can you seriously read this, about a rich guy with so little respect for the working person, and still give him your vote? Are you willing to put him in a position to fleece the entire country?
That's how he thinks of you—not as honest hard workers, but someone to be fleeced, because you're too little to come after him. That's what his word is worth—"See if you can get it out of me in court." That's how he made millions—not by being "a good businessman" but by making "deals" that in the end only paid off for him.
Can you seriously read this, about a rich guy with so little respect for the working person, and still give him your vote? Are you willing to put him in a position to fleece the entire country?
118
Tokyo do you think they read? Mostly uneducated non-college grads. I doubt most of them read anything like the New York Times if they read it all. And Republicans that do read have a mind set in stone that cannot be changed. Go figure.
44
No better than a pyramid scheme. He is a thief!
55
The Big Pyramid scheme includes the GOP politicians Trump has suckered into supporting him. They are cowards, staking their jobs on a known scammer and bigot. Win or lose, DT will take them all down!
36
Atlantic City itself and the people that worked & lived there went under, but what mattered to Trump was that he made money off the casinos. And now he's banking on having the entire United States as his cash cow.
51
After reading this I would fully expect a President Trump to immediately pardon Bernie Madoff and put him in charge of the federal budget.
What a cracking team these two incompetent conmen would make! Go America! Sure go on and believe that the Donald will make you "great" again, and by the way all of you 300 million "investors" (aka "suckers") will pay the bill for the next 3-4 generations.
What a cracking team these two incompetent conmen would make! Go America! Sure go on and believe that the Donald will make you "great" again, and by the way all of you 300 million "investors" (aka "suckers") will pay the bill for the next 3-4 generations.
50
Great reporting about an old subject. How about the same type of investigative journalism on the monies raised by the Clinton Foundation for favors by then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? How about investigating why only 10% of the Foundation's monies are contributed to charities while the rest go for travel and salaries (Bill gets $500,000 a year!).
10
Everything they do is on public record Mike. That means anybody can go see that you don't know what you're talking about or just plain lying.
64
Maybe do some investigating yourself and come up with FACTS about the Clinton Foundation. It in no way plunders the same way that Trump does.
59
So this is news? Trump shafts as many people as possible to line his pockets, preserving the Trump 'brand'?
The long, long line of Republican leaders who think Trump and his demented, faulty character and worthless core values should lead us over the next four years include Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan, Whip Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, Jeff Sessions, Susan Collins, John McCain, Kelly Ayote, Marco Rubio, Richard Burr, Ron Johnson, Pat Toomey, Bob Corker, Nikki Haley, and others.
Fortunately, a number of Republican leaders have not hidden under a rock and cried surrender. Gov. Romney and Senators Graham, Sasse, Flake and Kirk have shown they have guts and respect for human life and dignity.
Republican leaders who support Trump will find that support to be a death knell to their political futures. After November, voting members of the public will call on these elected Republican officials to explain their support for someone with such vile character and values. These voters will remember the endorsement that these officials made as they enter voting booths in the future.
It is heartbreaking that a stellar leader such as Gov. Kasich is not running against Hillary for this election, and that she only has to knock off a guy who has a breathtaking list of underhanded deals, shady relationships, failed businesses, unwarranted insults, racist comments, made up facts…..and it sure would have been fun seeing Gov. Kasich debate Hillary…
The long, long line of Republican leaders who think Trump and his demented, faulty character and worthless core values should lead us over the next four years include Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan, Whip Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, Jeff Sessions, Susan Collins, John McCain, Kelly Ayote, Marco Rubio, Richard Burr, Ron Johnson, Pat Toomey, Bob Corker, Nikki Haley, and others.
Fortunately, a number of Republican leaders have not hidden under a rock and cried surrender. Gov. Romney and Senators Graham, Sasse, Flake and Kirk have shown they have guts and respect for human life and dignity.
Republican leaders who support Trump will find that support to be a death knell to their political futures. After November, voting members of the public will call on these elected Republican officials to explain their support for someone with such vile character and values. These voters will remember the endorsement that these officials made as they enter voting booths in the future.
It is heartbreaking that a stellar leader such as Gov. Kasich is not running against Hillary for this election, and that she only has to knock off a guy who has a breathtaking list of underhanded deals, shady relationships, failed businesses, unwarranted insults, racist comments, made up facts…..and it sure would have been fun seeing Gov. Kasich debate Hillary…
13
But the Clinton's lifetime of grifting — from Arkansas to The CF — is casually dismissed because... they have law degrees from Yale and (D)s next to their name?
11
Isn't it hilarious how all Republicans can turn any conversation into well what about the Clintons. And they know perfectly well that the Clintons have been investigated for 25 years and nothing absolutely nothing has been shown to be illegal or nefarious. They have a mental bent that doesn't allow them to think straight.
32
TB, I think Trump went to Penn,and the Clinton "grifting" is mostly speculation. Trump's behavior is based on facts.
56
There are 4 stories about the Clinton foundation, since she became a likely candidate, from the NYT:
Apr 23, 2015
Oct 19, 2015
May 22, 2016
Jul 30, 2015
None of them are particularly rosey on the Foundation's activities. So yes, her dealings are equally scrutinized.
Apr 23, 2015
Oct 19, 2015
May 22, 2016
Jul 30, 2015
None of them are particularly rosey on the Foundation's activities. So yes, her dealings are equally scrutinized.
22
I would not go to any conferences held at any buildings with the word, Trump on the door way before he ran for presidency. However, making millions as a for-profit organization is legal, but it is questionable for a non-profit organization to do the same. Trump needs to disclose his tax returns BEFORE November and Hillary needs to disclose her speech transcripts sooner than November.
9
Can you imagine being a big Republican contributor reading this article, although if you were a big contributor, you probably knew all of this already. You know that any money you give will go right into The Donald's pocket, offsetting any monies he's put in, if he's put in any. Or the new monies will be used to pay off other debts. Big contributors are not dumb. No wonder they are holding back. My guess is that anyone supporting Trump isn't making any contributions.
23
What this article proves beyond any doubt is that the GOP has found the perfect candidate to represent it. Self centered, narcissistic, amoral, financially irresponsible, and bankrupt. Sums up the GOP perfectly.
55
Self-centered, narcissistic, amoral...sounds like the presumptive Democrat nominee as well.
5
How did Trump do it? The same way the moneyed class who trashed the US economy did only to emerge wealthier than before.
25
Very interesting piece. So next week are we going to get the in depth analysis of the Clinton Foundation and how Bill and Hillary became multi-millionaires?
8
That my friend as you surely know has been investigated over and over again for the last 25 years and there's nothing new or sinister about it.
18
The Clintons have been investigated for 30 years. And all you have is nutin'. We're just getting started on Trump, and there is a landfill full of garbage on him. We're just getting started and there is more to come. Stay tuned, same station, same time.
60
They gave written four stories on the Clinton foundation in the last year or so. The most recent one was last month.
14
Securities fraud, defrauding creditors in bankruptcy court, multiple misrepresentations to state regulators in NJ, multiple misrepresentations to businesses to procure services not paid for - now tell me again Donald - who is the criminal running for President?
40
Trump ran his Atlantic Casinos into the ground (by borrowing more and more money and kicking the ball down the road) the same way Washington plutocrats have been running the Federal budget into the ground for years. From that point of view he is well qualified !
9
The even bigger problem is that many businesses operate like this. Business schools all over the country endorse and teach these manipulative tactics. Laws are in place to support these highly unethical practices. We elect "business-friendly" legislators, thinking naively that giving business free rein will mean jobs and benefits for everyone.
Instead, we get Donald Trump, Mitt Romney, Carl Ichan, and all of the other predators bleeding the country dry and ruining the middle class.
The problem is systemic. Until we wake up and reform the whole system, we're in for more of the same. Unethical corporate apologists hope that the American people will become so poor, so ill-informed, and so demoralized that we will be unable to do anything to fight back.
Instead, we get Donald Trump, Mitt Romney, Carl Ichan, and all of the other predators bleeding the country dry and ruining the middle class.
The problem is systemic. Until we wake up and reform the whole system, we're in for more of the same. Unethical corporate apologists hope that the American people will become so poor, so ill-informed, and so demoralized that we will be unable to do anything to fight back.
20
What Trump has done to/with "his" casinos is what the Dimon, the Goldfeins, et al have done/are doing to the US economy with the able assistance of both Bill and Hillary Clinton. Trump and Hillary use the "back of the little guy" for their own purposes. Neither will take the actions required to ensure a fair playing field in the USA.
4
Do you have any actual PROOF -- or is this just another anti-Clinton bash?
Sorry. Clinton is nowhere near being in the same league as Trump, something most everyone here in New York knows already.
Sorry. Clinton is nowhere near being in the same league as Trump, something most everyone here in New York knows already.
43
Like most promoters, Trump was wildly optimistic but had no idea how much cash flow to support his debt was possible from h is casinos. The real culprit was the bankers who bad bad loans and did everything possible to avoid booking a default including allowing Trump to take out money from the disaster. If nothing else it shows how desperate the banks were to cash in on the Trump name after being stupid enough to lend money on this project.
4
So DT has no responsibility? Wildly optimistic? How about con man?
20
Heck, I know an organization that's going on 20 trillion in debt, is still running huge deficits, with trillions more in unfunded liabilities, and is supposedly being run by our best and brightest. And every citizen is a helpless stockholder. Let's have that story, too. Oh, and they don't even do annual budgets!
5
The USA is not a businesse. We are not declaring bankruptcy and letting our bondholders eat their investments
56
What a scam artist. His latest mark: the GOP. Next: The American people. He's going for the ultimate con. Move over, Madoff!
43
Wow! Let's make him president. Just what we need the worlds biggest bully swindler in the bully pulpit.
It is amazing that it's possible that up to 40 million people in the United States could vote for this cheap cheat.
It is amazing that it's possible that up to 40 million people in the United States could vote for this cheap cheat.
49
Corporations are kinda like people -- except that they can go bankrupt anytime things go wrong and then be instantly reborn as another person with a clean financial history. Not only can they do it, it's normal business practice with no stigma attached. And generally these type of "people" never spend time behind bars, no matter how big of a crime they commit.
16
"The burden of his failures fell on investors and others who had bet on his business acumen." Sounds a lot like some private equity deals.
12
I've long suspected that Trump's business was largely about slapping his name on stuff of unremarkable value, slathering it with gold leaf, and selling it to the undiscerning with as much free advertising as he could drum up. That's pretty much the approach he's taken to campaigning and I also suspect that his presidential aspirations were, at least in part, a scheme to enhance his brand on the cheap that got wildly out of hand. The guy truly has nothing of substance to say about much of anything and now he's the dog with the bumper in his teeth.
A year ago I'd have said that there was no way I would vote to return the Clinton's and their shameless improprieties to the White House, but it's looking like Hillary wins if the choice is between bad and worse.
A year ago I'd have said that there was no way I would vote to return the Clinton's and their shameless improprieties to the White House, but it's looking like Hillary wins if the choice is between bad and worse.
26
If you're a read of The Times, you'd know he's been planning this run at POTUS for several years if not decades. A few years ago he considered running for Gov. of NY to position himself for this current run for President. I truly don't believe it's a con that got out of hand -- I'd bet it's been a dream of his since military school.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/nyregion/donald-trump-new-york-governo...
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/nyregion/donald-trump-new-york-governo...
9
The secret of his “success” isn’t difficult to comprehend.
Yes, he is a con man of epic proportions, but he seems to have been aided, abetted and protected every step of the way by banks, mortgage companies and other businesses similar to his who were willing to overlook his flagrant looting of business enterprises for personal gain in the hope of flagrantly looting them alongside him; and lax courts and regulatory bodies desperate to increase local tax revenues and employment in distressed communities.
Nobody is altogether innocent here. Trump’s great financial acumen, such as it is, consists entirely of being the first man out of the door of his business ventures with company money, leaving little or none of it behind him for other participants in his projects, many of whom were willing dupes in his projects.
Yes, he is a con man of epic proportions, but he seems to have been aided, abetted and protected every step of the way by banks, mortgage companies and other businesses similar to his who were willing to overlook his flagrant looting of business enterprises for personal gain in the hope of flagrantly looting them alongside him; and lax courts and regulatory bodies desperate to increase local tax revenues and employment in distressed communities.
Nobody is altogether innocent here. Trump’s great financial acumen, such as it is, consists entirely of being the first man out of the door of his business ventures with company money, leaving little or none of it behind him for other participants in his projects, many of whom were willing dupes in his projects.
35
Can you just imagine what this man could do to the national debt? I bet he could have the United States governemnt in bankruptcy within 2 years of becoming president. And he would undoubtedly consider that to be the pinnacle of his career. How did we ever get to a place where we have a man like Donald Trump running for president?
27
Except a president isn't the CEO...Congress controls the purse strings and there are many ways in which the president, whoever they are, can't just bankrupt the US on their own.
3
It's heartening that the New York Times has published this expose.
Now, I hope the Times will turn its considerable resources to exposing the elements of the political establishment that have bankrupted the United States.
I look forward to extensive and in depth reporting on the role of the Democratic and Republican Parties and their benefactors, the military-industrial complex, in running up a national debt that can never be paid off. A national debt that is a threat to our future as a free society.
The United States cannot declare bankruptcy in a court of law, but like overburdened polities like Greece or Puerto Rico, the weight of our debt will yield terrible consequences.
Once again, thanks for the expose of the New York Times' adversary in the forthcoming election for US President.
Now, I hope the Times will turn its considerable resources to exposing the elements of the political establishment that have bankrupted the United States.
I look forward to extensive and in depth reporting on the role of the Democratic and Republican Parties and their benefactors, the military-industrial complex, in running up a national debt that can never be paid off. A national debt that is a threat to our future as a free society.
The United States cannot declare bankruptcy in a court of law, but like overburdened polities like Greece or Puerto Rico, the weight of our debt will yield terrible consequences.
Once again, thanks for the expose of the New York Times' adversary in the forthcoming election for US President.
12
Interesting how the Clintons still manage to take in millions without a casino.
7
Why isn't trump in jail with Skilling, Lay (he's dead), Ebbers, and multiple other frauds? Oh, yea, I forgot because he's a celebrity pretending to be a businessman on an infantile TV game show, and he's very good at bribing corrupt pols.
25
Yes Trump U was a conspiracy to commit fraud.
That should send this jerk to jail.
That should send this jerk to jail.
20
Romney v. Trump:
Romney gutted companies and ruined lives to make money for his shareholders.
Trump gutted companies and ruined lives to make money for himself.
Romney was narrowly successful at increasing shareholder value. It was at the expense of growth, jobs and wages.
Neither has the character or temperament to be worthy of my vote. Ever.
Romney gutted companies and ruined lives to make money for his shareholders.
Trump gutted companies and ruined lives to make money for himself.
Romney was narrowly successful at increasing shareholder value. It was at the expense of growth, jobs and wages.
Neither has the character or temperament to be worthy of my vote. Ever.
30
Look up "malignant narcissism" in Wikipedia, or in the Mayo Clinic site. 'Nuff said.
20
While sociologists and others can analyze the causes behind a mass hysteria - such as support for Donald Trump among a VERY LARGE portion of American electorate - what amazes this commentator is the frequency with which such hysteria appears.
It wasn't that long ago that a VERY LARGE portion of American electorate, including MANY in the Congress - did INDEED support George Bush to invade Iraq based on phantom evidence. Consequently AND subsequently, Americans paid - and are STILL paying - a HEAVY price. Iraqis paid and are STILL paying a FAR heavier price. The mayhem that started because of opening the Pandora's box by the illegal Iraq invasion will continue for MANY years.
Past such catastrophic events perpetuated based on flimsy, at best, or nonexistent and/or manufactured evidence, at worst, in the past century - such the Vietnam war - are being ignored here.
Donald Trump conned people countless number of times in the past. This megalomaniac, a narcissist, an arrogant and abusive demagogue is conning Americans AGAIN!!!
Whether it is conning by George Bush first and then by Donald Trump or by Donald Trump ALONE conning more than once, people seem to forget the old adage:
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Americans have been fooled MANY more times than once. Where does therefore the shame lie???
It wasn't that long ago that a VERY LARGE portion of American electorate, including MANY in the Congress - did INDEED support George Bush to invade Iraq based on phantom evidence. Consequently AND subsequently, Americans paid - and are STILL paying - a HEAVY price. Iraqis paid and are STILL paying a FAR heavier price. The mayhem that started because of opening the Pandora's box by the illegal Iraq invasion will continue for MANY years.
Past such catastrophic events perpetuated based on flimsy, at best, or nonexistent and/or manufactured evidence, at worst, in the past century - such the Vietnam war - are being ignored here.
Donald Trump conned people countless number of times in the past. This megalomaniac, a narcissist, an arrogant and abusive demagogue is conning Americans AGAIN!!!
Whether it is conning by George Bush first and then by Donald Trump or by Donald Trump ALONE conning more than once, people seem to forget the old adage:
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Americans have been fooled MANY more times than once. Where does therefore the shame lie???
14
Thank you, NYTimes, and reporters, for ferreting out this information, and presenting it. Long overdue. Now, let's find a way to make it simple for the simpletons that would vote for Trump!
22
Only an experienced con artist like Donald J Trump could elevate flim-flam to an art form.
A no more perfect standard bearer for the modern GOP could be found. After all that party has overseen the redistribution of the nation's wealth from the many to the few, all the while persuading its voters that the policies underpinning such theft are in their best interests.
But remember, Trump will "Make America Great Again."
A no more perfect standard bearer for the modern GOP could be found. After all that party has overseen the redistribution of the nation's wealth from the many to the few, all the while persuading its voters that the policies underpinning such theft are in their best interests.
But remember, Trump will "Make America Great Again."
22
But the guy can't even keep the registrations of his airplanes current.
15
It is my fervent hope that we either have a real, viable 3rd party candidate that wins 270 electoral votes, OR Hillary gets indicted before the Democratic convention and we have a more palatable Democratic nominee. It would be great if the Republicans managed to wrest the nomination from Trump at their convention, but I fear no way of doing that without a major breach of democracy. At this point, if we pull the lever for Trump or Clinton, it's game over for America.
4
Sharon stop repeating the same tired lies the right wing has been vomiting for years against Hillary. She will not be indicted. She did nothing to be indicted for despite your glee that it might happen. Hillary is the most qualified candidate to run for the Presidency in a long, long time. Even Obama who is an exceptional President despite the attempts by the right wing to obstruct and make him a one term president agrees. America will do very well under a Clinton Presidency. I and millions of others can't wait to vote for her in November. Vote how you wish in November but leave me to cast my vote as I choose without the lies and snark.
47
What is the difference between a "Business Man" and a "Con Man?"
8
Respect for the law of contracts and the value of one's oaths.
16
Ethics
17
Integrity. You got it? Nothing else matters. Don't have it? Nothing else matters.
9
I put Trump in the same category as I do the persons of say, Joel Osteen and and Crefto Dollar.
They say all of these things that to 'desperate people', sound like promises.
They don't use their own money, but the monies of other to build 'big, beautiful mansions of 'worship', all the while saying 'you too can have what I've built, if you pay the price' of financing me.
All I hear from Trump is me, me, me, my, my my.
It's a shame that people are not listening to what he (and them) are truly saying.
But everyone has a choice and it's their choice to make.
Bernie Madoff had more class than these guys and that ain't saying much.
But I guess in defense of Osteen, Dollar and Trump, they are saying it to their followers face. And they still don't get it.
They say all of these things that to 'desperate people', sound like promises.
They don't use their own money, but the monies of other to build 'big, beautiful mansions of 'worship', all the while saying 'you too can have what I've built, if you pay the price' of financing me.
All I hear from Trump is me, me, me, my, my my.
It's a shame that people are not listening to what he (and them) are truly saying.
But everyone has a choice and it's their choice to make.
Bernie Madoff had more class than these guys and that ain't saying much.
But I guess in defense of Osteen, Dollar and Trump, they are saying it to their followers face. And they still don't get it.
19
Thank you New York Times ! This is definitive proof that Trump represents a mortal danger to the republic. Sound the call. Get involved ! We must vote against this menace and demonstrate for all time that endorsement of Trump will be a political death sentence.
16
As a garden variety Swindler, Donald Trump's frauds are small potatoes in contrast with his superiors such as Bernie Madoff, Barry Minkow, Charles Keating and Ivar Krueger,
However, as a world-class Deadbeat, Donald Trump may be setting new American records. Does Trump not know how to pay a bill or has he never had enough money to pay all his bills?
However, as a world-class Deadbeat, Donald Trump may be setting new American records. Does Trump not know how to pay a bill or has he never had enough money to pay all his bills?
27
The article is old news if anyone took the tome to read a metro New York area newspaper during the last two dcades.
Aside from a tiny handful of media outlets who have decided to report this information only during the last year, none of these "new" relevations have reached he vast unwashed in our country who continue wallow in ignorance because what passes for "news" outlets in most of our country is a sad joke.
So, it seems the only way to get the word out and change our ignorant electorate's postive view on Donald Trump is for the Democratic Party to not place their focus on the bankruptcies - a focus that had zero impact during the GOP debates - but the INDIVIDUAL impact to REAL people, those little people that have their jobs or saw their businesses sink due to Donald Trump's business "acumen."
Aside from a tiny handful of media outlets who have decided to report this information only during the last year, none of these "new" relevations have reached he vast unwashed in our country who continue wallow in ignorance because what passes for "news" outlets in most of our country is a sad joke.
So, it seems the only way to get the word out and change our ignorant electorate's postive view on Donald Trump is for the Democratic Party to not place their focus on the bankruptcies - a focus that had zero impact during the GOP debates - but the INDIVIDUAL impact to REAL people, those little people that have their jobs or saw their businesses sink due to Donald Trump's business "acumen."
23
A magnificent job of reporting and presenting the truth. Should be required reading for those considering voting for you-know-whom.
16
Donald Trump continues to use whatever is at his disposal to intimidate when there is litigation and to further his personal business agenda while running for President of the United States. That he exhorted his surrogates to continue to call for Judge Curiel to recuse himself on the basis of unfounded racist claims by the candidate, is deplorable. The entire point was to eliminate an obstacle in a personal class action civil law suit against his business, Trump Univesity. He is supposedly on his way to Scotland on June 24th (one day after the Brexit vote) for the grand opening of his $290 investment in Turnberry golf course, undoubtedly flying the tax payer paid Secret Service with him and using the platform of Presidential presumptive nominee to further his personal business endeavors. The casino story reveals an elaborate variation on a Ponzi scheme. What more is needed to find him unsuitable to be President of the United States?
14
Were pension funds among the bond holders for the Trump Casinos?
Might Mr. Trump committed a financial crime?
Might Mr. Trump committed a financial crime?
7
I hope the NYT plans to do a similar detailed analysis of the the money donated to the Clinton Foundation while Hillary was Secretary of State. I would appreciate details of the deal that led to Russia gaining control over 20% of our uranium production. Further, perhaps the story could provide details of the speaking fees Slick Willy received from countries doing business with Hillary's state department. Thanks, but I won't hold my breath waiting for that story.
8
The books of the Clinton Foundation are open to inspection.
Why don't you want to examine Trump's tax returns?
Why don't you want to examine Trump's tax returns?
46
The Clintons are an open book and have been investigated over and over and over again by Republicans trying to find anything they can on them. And so after 25 years the answer is zilch.
20
And when he becomes President, he will have our Treasury at his disposal. So, with the art of his deal, he will bankrupt the country and then he will become a trillionaire.
Move over, Bill Gates. Your time is up as the richest man on the Planet!
Move over, Bill Gates. Your time is up as the richest man on the Planet!
13
If Trump had been another Mitt Romney, and had successfully run businesses that made tens of billions of dollars in profits, the voters would not like him nearly as much.
2
We hate them both. We don't hate rich people. Warren Buffet is a very popular richest man in America, so it has nothing to do with wealth. Please stop whining already, it's unbecoming.
5
Trump's whole life is one big ponzi scheme. He has no heart, no soul, no conscience.
20
So this is the man who is going to make America Great Again?! He leaves a trail of broken promises and bankrupt businesses wherever he goes. The only person who ever makes money on the Trump name is...guess who. This idiot gets more pathetic every time the Truth gets told; which has taken far too long by a media that only now seems to finally be doing it`s job. So thank-you to the N.Y. Times for being one of the few that seems to be doing it`s. homework; and shame on those who refuse to recognize that the history is one of nothing but Greed, Exploitation, and Failure to all who rely on the Great Donald. God help America counting on this sad little man.
18
All those serfs of The Lord who ran against Trump got no help at all from their deity.
11
"Endorsed Trump" or "Endorsed By Trump" will be like a scarlet letter every Republican in those categories will wear for the rest of their lives.
24
Mitt Romney, while I didn't vote for him seemed to be a patriot and an honorable man; yet, he was excoriated over the 47% comment. (Sorry if that is not the right percentage.) How, just how, did Trump become the candidate for the GOP with all this baggage? And the pundit class says it will be a close race. I get people hate Hillary, are disgusted with the the status quo etc. But, what in God's name would make his supporters think that he would do anything that didn't serve Donald Trump's insatiable thirst for attention, adulation and money. Sociopath. Straight up.
25
What don't we get about being stupid, mistrusting anyone with any intellect, and unwilling to learn the facts? Oh, sorry, I just described a Fox News watcher.
7
how is this any different from the way Romney or much of Wall St make their $?
6
My biggest disappointment with reading this article is that it wasn't reported sooner. Trump's "brand" is at best scavenged off the debased corpses of those he's ruined. How on earth was this parasite allowed to come back after even one bankruptcy? It's beyond reasoning.
23
I realize it's out of scope of the article, but I wish the author had noted that one of Trump's recently stated plans for reducing America's debt was to take it into bankruptcy. While it's difficult to cover such a ludicrous and off-the-wall idea in a couple of sentences, it would help fill out the picture of Trump's limited and somewhat simple-minded, predatory business toolkit.
35
To Trump, apparently, life is a zero sum game. He only profits when his partners, investors and suppliers lose. The only reason he has been able to continue is that he is one of the world's greatest con men and obfuscators. Now, as candidate for President, he is offering the same deal to the American people he has made with his former partners. No thanks, and shame on anyone who falls for this.
27
We hard working Americans have a $20,000,000,000,000 national debt - and rising every second - and you are going to vote for the Establishment candidate who was part of the problem.
You should be ashamed of yourself for falling for the Party line election after election.
You should be ashamed of yourself for falling for the Party line election after election.
2
I remember when, as a business reporter, I interviewed three executives who had signed retail leases for space in Trump Tower. Each one told me that once they had negotiated and signed the leases, and had begun to set up their stores, that the Trump office would come back to them and "renegotiate" the lease. The retailers were made to understood if they didn't comply with some new terms, more favorable to Trump, they would not receive all the services they were entitled to. The alternative was litigating the lease, which would cost more than acquiescing to Trump. Since they'd already invested in the store, and wanted the Fifth Avenue presence, they did the best they could. I do not know one New Yorker who shops in this mall, and my understanding is that there are a lot of empty spaces.
Trump leaves a trail of detritus, of poor business practices, wherever he goes. He is a legend in his own mind. The fact the some very wealthy businessmen think he'll do well by the country if elected president tells us more about those businessmen's values than they do about Trump.
Trump leaves a trail of detritus, of poor business practices, wherever he goes. He is a legend in his own mind. The fact the some very wealthy businessmen think he'll do well by the country if elected president tells us more about those businessmen's values than they do about Trump.
322
A very Chinese way of negotiating. Hook the sucker and then demand more money. Maybe that's why he thinks he can negotiate with the Chinese.
6
A study published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin suggests that when a group is without a leader, a narcissist (Trump") is likely to take charge. Researchers have found that people who score high in narcissism tend to take control of leaderless groups (Teaservatives). According to Alan Downs, corporate narcissism occurs when a narcissist becomes the chief executive officer (CEO) or other leadership roles within the senior management team and gathers an adequate mix of codependents around him to support the narcissistic behavior. Narcissists profess company loyalty but are only really committed to their own agendas, thus organizational decisions are founded on the narcissist's own interests rather than the interests of the organization as a whole, the various stakeholders, or the society in which the organization operates.
14
Where - anywhere! - in this article does Trump mention anyone who benefited beside himself? Anyone?!?!?!
It's all about him. All the time. No one else.
People, wake up. He's the Pied Piper, and he's leading you over a cliff.
VOTE.
It's all about him. All the time. No one else.
People, wake up. He's the Pied Piper, and he's leading you over a cliff.
VOTE.
17
This is what I remember about Trump stories in the 90's. During the primaries it surprised me that it didn't really come up from the other GOP candidates (maybe not Christie).
I guess you were saving it for the general.
I guess you were saving it for the general.
10
Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, the Koch brothers, and all the other neoliberals who trade in the makers/takers dichotomy to castigate poor people for their "bad choices" need only consider the example of Donald Drumpf to see the bankruptcy of their Randian ideology. DD exemplifies all the corrupt taking in the "making."
10
The hucksterism and shady dealing Trump used in his casinos are the same “business practices” that is going on in government, just on an exponentially greater scale.
> Medicaid/Medicare fraud that is enriching doctor mills that see astronomical number of patients, prescribe batteries of unneeded yet expensive tests, etc. And many of these mills are run by immigrant doctors (Save the protestations of shock! shock! Anyone here in NYC sees this every day, unless you have PC blinders on. And this type of corruption has been going on since the days of Tammany Hall and the Irish).
> Defense contracts awarded on cost plus basis with little to no monitoring of the work, especially for consultant services, thus bilking taxpayers of billions of dollars annually.
> Laws and regulations crafted by Congress for the benefit of special interest like bankers, big pharma, big agriculture and big labor (think the UAW and the bailout of GM and Chrysler). All then agreed to by sitting Presidents, Republicans and Democrats.
These are just a few of the scams, from the billionaire banksters to the barely getting by lay-abouts on “disability”, that many are using to gorge themselves at the government trough. All this is attributable to how we as a nation have allowed our government to stop being responsible and accountable to the people.
So, it doesn’t matter if we elect the Donald or Hillary. Under either, we can expect good, law abiding Americans to keep being played for chumps come 2017.
> Medicaid/Medicare fraud that is enriching doctor mills that see astronomical number of patients, prescribe batteries of unneeded yet expensive tests, etc. And many of these mills are run by immigrant doctors (Save the protestations of shock! shock! Anyone here in NYC sees this every day, unless you have PC blinders on. And this type of corruption has been going on since the days of Tammany Hall and the Irish).
> Defense contracts awarded on cost plus basis with little to no monitoring of the work, especially for consultant services, thus bilking taxpayers of billions of dollars annually.
> Laws and regulations crafted by Congress for the benefit of special interest like bankers, big pharma, big agriculture and big labor (think the UAW and the bailout of GM and Chrysler). All then agreed to by sitting Presidents, Republicans and Democrats.
These are just a few of the scams, from the billionaire banksters to the barely getting by lay-abouts on “disability”, that many are using to gorge themselves at the government trough. All this is attributable to how we as a nation have allowed our government to stop being responsible and accountable to the people.
So, it doesn’t matter if we elect the Donald or Hillary. Under either, we can expect good, law abiding Americans to keep being played for chumps come 2017.
3
It would be so worthwhile if a talented documentarian put together the testimony of small and large businesses alike who were stiffed or whose billings were heavily discounted by Trump. It would perhaps be eye opening to those who support him. Would they believe the testimony of Trump's victims? I would hope so but I'm not sure.
12
I suspect Trump's supporters would no more believe his victims than liberals believe the victims of Clinton's narcissistic predations. Just isn't any justice, is there?
This is a good article but, aside from the picture and caption, it fails to mention the devastation left for the people and workers of Atlantic City. I have only so much sympathy for shareholders and investors who willingly got into business with Trump. What about the waitresses, bartenders, housekeepers and dishwashers who due to Trump's extreme selfishness and narcissism are now in battle against Carl Ichan, a multi-billionaire, who has slashed the health care and hard-earned pensions of these regular Americans through the bankruptcy proceedings brought about by Trump. This article should speak more to what happened, and what happens, to the workers when millionaires and billionaires play around with debt and bankruptcy court, only concerned about their next "deal" and not about actually their Employees who are making their companies run and making $20-30,000/year. The people, more or less, who Trump claims to care about.
30
Two nights ago I was at a dinner party with a man who previously worked for the Mexican tourist bureau in a European country. He told me that several years ago he went to a meeting of Mexican tourism officials, which happened to take place in a Trump hotel in the US. One of the waiters recognized my friend's accent and it turned out that they were from the same region of Mexico. My friend asked whether the waiter had legal status: "illegal -- all of the help here are illegal," the waiter said.
Trump is a congenital liar. He lies and does not even recognize his own lies. He lies and then a day later tries to retract his lies, or he lies and then claims that he never lied. Some part of his brain that distinguishes truth from reality seems to be missing.
Trump is a congenital liar. He lies and does not even recognize his own lies. He lies and then a day later tries to retract his lies, or he lies and then claims that he never lied. Some part of his brain that distinguishes truth from reality seems to be missing.
30
Folks, this is de rigueur for big business. Lavishly paid executives can come in, wreck a company, cost thousands of folks their jobs and then, when they themselves are "terminated," they're offered the option of resigning with dignity. Oh, and a multi-million dollar "go away, please" package. It's a win-win for the execs, and a lose-lose for everyone else. See: Carly Fiorina.
10
Sounds like the retirement deal that former Presidents get when they get put out to pasture.
How have we gotten to the point in our country where a man who was put on a personal and household expense budget of $450,00 a month (!) is the anti-establishment candidate and champion of the little guy?
31
I could not stop reading this article although Trump's schemes are rather repetitive. What a con job! Over and over. He surrounded himself on that publicly traded company with his sycophants. $197,000 for Trump Ice Water?!?!? And paying all those stars to perform at MiraLago. I think I saw somewhere a psychoanalyst's writeup on the guy. I mean he is without doubt a sicko. How can he continue to paint himself as such a winner when he has to have his father come in and illegally loan him money?
At least Mitt Romney had the backbone not to endorse him. I cannot believe John McCain would sink so low. Wow! All the people he left hanging out to dry.
I thank the Times for this article. It was quite a bit of journalism. But otherwise, it's clear the system has failed to reign in this horror of a guy. Talk about banks too big to fail. Was this a guy too big to fail because he was going to take down this total house of cards?
At least Mitt Romney had the backbone not to endorse him. I cannot believe John McCain would sink so low. Wow! All the people he left hanging out to dry.
I thank the Times for this article. It was quite a bit of journalism. But otherwise, it's clear the system has failed to reign in this horror of a guy. Talk about banks too big to fail. Was this a guy too big to fail because he was going to take down this total house of cards?
25
I wish the working class people that support Trump would read this article, but, alas, the NYT is probably not the newspaper they get their info from. He has hurt the very people that seem to form his base of support: the small business companies, contractors, the people who did the work in his casinos. I hope this article gets reprinted in every credible newspaper in the country.
17
Just heard about the horrible tragedy down in Orlando! If this incident truly has terrorist ties as they have speculated, we are not only left with 50 or more lost innocent American lives, I am very very afraid that we will end up with President Donald Trump. I know the knee jerk reaction of many Americans! Trump will milk this for all it has got! My heart felt condolences for the lives lost in a senseless tragedy!
7
I can't understand why anyone would vote for a Presidential candidate who has been ripping off the American people for years. Donald Trump has misused the bankruptcy laws--taking advantage of average Americans who work hard and who he didn't pay for the services performed. Meanwhile -he gets rich and they get stiffed. 4 bankruptcies by companies Donald Trump controlled does not qualify Mr. Trump for the Presidency. If elected - would Donald Trump let the United States also go bankrupt?
My suggestion: Donald Trump, after he gets nominated, should turn down the nomination -try to become a king maker not the king. His candidacy has become an international embarrassment for the United States. The American people deserve a choice between two competent candidates.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh
My suggestion: Donald Trump, after he gets nominated, should turn down the nomination -try to become a king maker not the king. His candidacy has become an international embarrassment for the United States. The American people deserve a choice between two competent candidates.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh
6
Feiner is the same guy who has mismanaged the Town of Greenburgh into a financial mess. You are an embarrassment to Westchester and your own constituents. Remember the potential sale of the Westchester Golf Range to the Town as a site for a new library? And remember the groundwater sturdy showing that it was full of carcinogens and all sorts of chemicals? You should, Feiner; you were there. and nothing has been done about it, or the abandoned garden center next door. You are proverbial pot calling the kettle black.
1
If Trump was a private individual instead of a corporate entity, his credit score would be the lowest possible number. He is the guy in the bar who starts a brawl and slips into the men's room to hide. He's the Pig Pen of real estate and investments, always followed by a dirty cloud. Now he wants to use the U.S. Treasury to fund his hustles.
10
There is a big difference between making a good profit in business and destroying a business to take it's assets, which is what Trump has specialised in. In the process, he has also destroyed local economies, small businesses and even peoples lives. All so that he could get millions of dollars.
8
Pump and Dump Trump. The lesson he says he learned from his father was to never personally guarantee anything. The Trump business methodology is to borrow huge sums of money using junk bonds or other high interest loans which saddle his businesses with unsustainable debt. He then pulls as much money as he can out of the destined to fail business while paying the interest payments on the debt with the principle and additional high interest borrowing. When inevitably the business fails he simply walks away with all the money he has taken out, leaving his creditors high and dry. As long as he has not used his own money or personally guaranteed the loans, there is nothing his creditors can do. It's the classic ponzi scheme pump and dump. He is not building businesses to succeed. He is just scamming his investors.
Now Pump and Dump Trump is scamming the entire country. How much money does he really have? We don't know. How will he 'make America great again?' No specifics. Just trust him, because he's so smart. One thing you can be sure if we elect this guy is that he will become fabulously wealthy channeling public money into his private coffers, and when it's all over we'll be left holding the bag.
Now Pump and Dump Trump is scamming the entire country. How much money does he really have? We don't know. How will he 'make America great again?' No specifics. Just trust him, because he's so smart. One thing you can be sure if we elect this guy is that he will become fabulously wealthy channeling public money into his private coffers, and when it's all over we'll be left holding the bag.
10
When I hear/watch Trump speak at his rallies, I don't feel like I'm seeing America. Not the America I thought I knew.
10
Of course all the casino workers who were jerked around by these failures were just pawns in Trump's the businessman's games, just like Republican voters are now pawns in Trump the politician's game.
4
High stakes businesses have ups and downs and ALL of the people involved "rolled the dice" without a gun being put to their head. The facts are simple Atlantic City was and is a City with poor demographics that hoped that gambling would bring in huge revenues to substitute for a poor local economy and dangerous neighborhoods. The other States in the USA went on a casino building spurt at about the same time and Atlantic City became just one of many choices for gamblers Nationally and internationally. All large real estate developers use corporations and legal tactics to insulate themselves and every investor has the personal responsibility to select which investments they want to back. It hurts to lose money in the stock market and those companies like the recent "Gawker" bankruptcy shows that outside of US government bonds all investments have risk and Bankruptcy protections and tactics are a normal part of business in the USA.
It's amazing, watching Trump's hypnotized supporters twist themselves into knots like this.
16
Go back to school and get a degree in real estate, business, accounting etc. Then visit Atlantic City outside the beach district. Then lookup the number of casino bankruptcies around the USA in the last 8 years under Obama. If you have time study the loss of good paying jobs and the record low of labor participation in general under Obama and then untie the logical knots that you are suffering from.
The Casino's were a perfect way for Trump to suck money out of bad loans without having this name on them through paper companies. We all new this already back in the 80's when it was happening and couldn't believe it. Bottom line Trump and other businessman on Wall Street are crooks and should be in jail. But the GOP controlled house and senate let them get away with destroying middle America to line their own pockets. All the one percenters are in it together.
7
Trump's shady business dealings are minor compared to another candidate who would hijack democracy by disenfranchising the opponent's voters in every way possible.
Trump's unjustified, persistent and venomous attacks on groups and often specific individuals are the ugliest examples of his strident willingness to use the vilest means to destroy people including self-sacrificing and devoted public servants. This is hardly presidential behavior. The incredible freak happenstance of Trump emerging as an actual presidential candidate ... a sure blow to american prestige in the eyes of the world ... begs for a definitive rebuke of everything Trump stands for with his resounding defeat at the polls in November.
8
I have two lover-arching questions. All this trump, and much more, was known to the media and to the other Republican candidates in some detail before the campaigning began.
1. Why did the other Republican candidates give trump essentially a free ride?
2. Why did the media give trump essentially a free ride -- and why is it that only NOW are a couple of the media bothering to pay attention to the fact that the trump is a swindler?
1. Why did the other Republican candidates give trump essentially a free ride?
2. Why did the media give trump essentially a free ride -- and why is it that only NOW are a couple of the media bothering to pay attention to the fact that the trump is a swindler?
6
Other candidates gave him a free ride because he bought them all over the years. He sues anyone who blinks and the media is afraid of suits. But most important, Ed A, is that WE have not demanded the truth until now. The Good News is that the vast majority of us have wakened up and are demanding better reporting and more socially conscious candidates.
1
This is hardly a glowing resume for a candidate for the highest office in the land.
It would seem that the plan was for these ventures to be piggy banks for Trump, financed by naive but greedy investors who were hoodwinked almost every time.
Also strange is the role played by Christie in his various positions along the way. His most recent public appearance has been at the right hand of Trump in his series of recent battles, once Christie was demolished. If appearances are an indicator, he was like deer in the headlights, rather than an enthusiastic supporter.
There are still many facts to emerge, including Trump's relevant tax returns currently under scrutiny, (presumably the ones not being examined could be published as a sign of good faith).
If the sum of all these "possible" concerns were to result in some form of a felony matter, could this preclude such a person from assuming a senior public office?
It would seem that the plan was for these ventures to be piggy banks for Trump, financed by naive but greedy investors who were hoodwinked almost every time.
Also strange is the role played by Christie in his various positions along the way. His most recent public appearance has been at the right hand of Trump in his series of recent battles, once Christie was demolished. If appearances are an indicator, he was like deer in the headlights, rather than an enthusiastic supporter.
There are still many facts to emerge, including Trump's relevant tax returns currently under scrutiny, (presumably the ones not being examined could be published as a sign of good faith).
If the sum of all these "possible" concerns were to result in some form of a felony matter, could this preclude such a person from assuming a senior public office?
5
Show us your tax returns Donald. What are you hiding? The American people need to realize that it would start a very bad precedent to elect somebody for president who is unwilling to disclose their taxes.
11
I am not a Trump supporter. I have seen this article on the front page of the NYT for the past three days now. It looks like it won't go away until after the November election. I really don't care one way or the other. I just hope you'll be fair and do the same when Hillary gets indicted.
1
It came out yesterday, and you might want to read it.
5
re "Paul Ryan supposedly thinks he can trust Donald Trump."
Paul Ryan sets the example of remarkably crass politics. His mealymouthed plea for civility in politics rings hollow when he himself was an active member of a group of senior GOP leaders who in 2009 met during Obama's inauguration to plot to sabotage his presidency. These senior GOP members strategized to bring congress to a standstill regardless how much it would hurt the economy by pledging to obstruct and block Obama on all legislation. This skullduggery emerged into a GOP party of "NO" where the extreme acrimony of the current absurd political theatre took root. Ryan is a shameful and shameless hypocrite.
Paul Ryan sets the example of remarkably crass politics. His mealymouthed plea for civility in politics rings hollow when he himself was an active member of a group of senior GOP leaders who in 2009 met during Obama's inauguration to plot to sabotage his presidency. These senior GOP members strategized to bring congress to a standstill regardless how much it would hurt the economy by pledging to obstruct and block Obama on all legislation. This skullduggery emerged into a GOP party of "NO" where the extreme acrimony of the current absurd political theatre took root. Ryan is a shameful and shameless hypocrite.
9
Truly a fascinating piece. And it seems there have been five bankruptcies, not four as everyone has been saying. D.J.T. really is some kind of idiot-savant. If he ever shakes your hand, count your your fingers.
5
Al least The Donald is too fastidious to shake hands.
2
Congrats NY TIMES, for a fine piece of journalism. Unfortunately, it probably will not stop the supporters from supporting him. They have not just sipped the Kool-aid, but gulped it down. They have blinders on their eyes and fingers in their ears. The man is a misogynistic, narcissistic bigot. He continues to mock anyone who disagrees with him and yet there are people who want him to be our leader.
10
The raw nihilism evoked by Trump and Sanders is a sight to behold. Public policy in the US is evidently terminal.
2
A quibble regarding your headline: "earning" millions and making millions are two different things.
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
5
Appropriate old wisdom:
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and talks like a duck...It's a duck! Tigers never change their stripes! Lier's keep on lying! If it sounds too good to be true, it is! All that glitters is not gold! If you lay down with dogs, you get fleas. Fool me once, shame on you...Fool me twice, shame on me.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and talks like a duck...It's a duck! Tigers never change their stripes! Lier's keep on lying! If it sounds too good to be true, it is! All that glitters is not gold! If you lay down with dogs, you get fleas. Fool me once, shame on you...Fool me twice, shame on me.
7
The book on Trump should be titled, "How to Make Billion Dollars: Start with Three and Lose Two". Donald J. Trump is the penultimate "Loser" and I wouldn't trust him to run a corner lemonade stand.
Trump started out with 14,000 NYC rental apartments that his father gave him early on yet he likes to make folks think that all he received to start, "was a small loan of about one million dollars."
My bet is that Trump's net worth is far lower than he claims and may be positive only because of his reality show / media earnings from re recent years.
Another bet is that he will never release his tax returns because he has paid no taxes for many years, using financial engineering to cheat the US govt. just like he cheats everyone else.
When someone calls everyone a liar or everyone a loser, you know who they are talking about, right?
Trump started out with 14,000 NYC rental apartments that his father gave him early on yet he likes to make folks think that all he received to start, "was a small loan of about one million dollars."
My bet is that Trump's net worth is far lower than he claims and may be positive only because of his reality show / media earnings from re recent years.
Another bet is that he will never release his tax returns because he has paid no taxes for many years, using financial engineering to cheat the US govt. just like he cheats everyone else.
When someone calls everyone a liar or everyone a loser, you know who they are talking about, right?
27
Ethics? Reminds me of the story about the two businessmen who meet while lounging on the beach in Florida.
"So what do you do?" one asks the other.
"Me? I'm retired. I had a warehouse but it went broke and then burned to the ground. What about you?"
"I owed an office building but it got destroyed in a flood. So here I am."
After a few moments lolling in the sun, the second man asks his new friend a question:
"Tell me something. How do you start a flood?"
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
"So what do you do?" one asks the other.
"Me? I'm retired. I had a warehouse but it went broke and then burned to the ground. What about you?"
"I owed an office building but it got destroyed in a flood. So here I am."
After a few moments lolling in the sun, the second man asks his new friend a question:
"Tell me something. How do you start a flood?"
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
8
I am not sure if I should be angry at Trump or angry at a country with laws that allow this to happen.
219
U.S. citizens vote for the Republicans that make the laws that "allow this to happen."
9
One of the nicer side effects of this article is this knots Trump's cheerleaders are tying themselves into, as they try and justify this insanity, or wish it into the cornfield.
The stuff about how "the media's not reporting that Hillary does the same things!" is pretty old-hat.
But the bizarre claims that the article doesn't offer any detail or evidence--fabbalous guff. And the notion that this proves how clever Das Trump is, and we need a clever crook to Make America Whatsit Again...well, sheer genius.
The stuff about how "the media's not reporting that Hillary does the same things!" is pretty old-hat.
But the bizarre claims that the article doesn't offer any detail or evidence--fabbalous guff. And the notion that this proves how clever Das Trump is, and we need a clever crook to Make America Whatsit Again...well, sheer genius.
3
How can anyone think that he's qualified to be president? Really, anyone! He's a huckster and will destroy the USA's credibility in the international community. Maybe someone should whisper to him that he cannot extract a lot of money from the government by doing deals with the treasury. That might scare him off.
13
Reading this article, I found it difficult to follow the money trail. Millions - by the dozen - sloshing around from one group to another. A confusing cocktail of investors, bondholders, bankers and regulators stirred by the mixing stick we know as Trump.
After having wrung out this group of people, he's turned his smoke and mirrors on another group. Donald Trump plays on that American yearning of "something for nothing".
After having wrung out this group of people, he's turned his smoke and mirrors on another group. Donald Trump plays on that American yearning of "something for nothing".
14
One wonders what Trump had to do to unruffle Carl Icahn's feathers.
2
This article alone has enough material to make anyone question why Donald Trump should be the next president of the United States.
All the complaints about Mitt Romney's business dealings with Bain Capital seem harmless compared to the questions we should be raising about Mr. Trump's affairs.
All the complaints about Mitt Romney's business dealings with Bain Capital seem harmless compared to the questions we should be raising about Mr. Trump's affairs.
19
Do Americans need more evidence to put that guy at the head of the country?
2
It's hard to feel sorry for the rubes who did business with Trump. His reputation preceded him.
Live by the capitalist sword; die by the capitalist sword.
Live by the capitalist sword; die by the capitalist sword.
1
What I find extraordinary is that Trump's supporters will be able to defend Trump's record even if Trump can't himself ... we live in dangerous times.
17
This year Republican primaries are, in essence, contests of lies- lies about Mexicans, gays, Obama, climate change, guns, evolution and racism. As a party of lies- starting with Nixon's deceptive 68 election campaign, to Reagan's tax cut that would balance the budget, to George W's WMDs in Iraq, the Republican Party, as a political machine in a democracy, can be argued as one of the most effective in history.
It is not a surprise that as a party of lies, they elected one of the biggest liars in our generation- Donald Trump. Trump is right when he said that he is greatest. He is indeed the greatest con artist of all. Trump was the boldest and the smartest liar of them all. Perry, Rubio, Bush and Cruz are smalltimers compared to Trump. For a man who claims to be a patriot, his wives are all imported and his products are mostly made in China. He claims he is worth billions but refuses to show us his tax returns. No wonder Ryan and McConnell kowtow to Trump. They know a master when they see one.
It is not a surprise that as a party of lies, they elected one of the biggest liars in our generation- Donald Trump. Trump is right when he said that he is greatest. He is indeed the greatest con artist of all. Trump was the boldest and the smartest liar of them all. Perry, Rubio, Bush and Cruz are smalltimers compared to Trump. For a man who claims to be a patriot, his wives are all imported and his products are mostly made in China. He claims he is worth billions but refuses to show us his tax returns. No wonder Ryan and McConnell kowtow to Trump. They know a master when they see one.
16
When anything they do doesn't work, they say we just need more of it.
3
Very sadly, those who support Trump have no understanding of him. Trump is conning his supporters with lies, deceit as he has done repeatedly in his business dealings.
13
In French, "il tromp" (pronounced "trump") means "he deceives." The reflexive form of the same verb "il se tromp" (still pronounced "trump") means "he is wrong." Whenever the French hear this man's name, they chuckle.
10
What I like even better: the etymology of the French verb suggests it derives from the street vendor 'trumpeting' his tacky wares, often by blowing a trumpet.
2
Bully-Boy Trump has never made anything great, other than himself. Through the years he repeatedly demonstrated his harmful and selfish business practices and narcissistic character - hopefully the voters will learn from others' mistakes instead of putting the country in his hands.
9
This is a careful and well-sourced report on Donald Trump's business practices over many years. Combined with USA Today's independent report on his common practice of not paying small business people and contractors for work they completed, it shows that Trump has crossed the line many times between legitimate competitive tactics and reckless actions to defraud investors, partners and suppliers. This raises several questions:
Has the state attorney in New Jersey or the SEC opened an investigation of whether he violated any laws or regulations and, if so, whether he might be criminally liable. If not, will they do so before the November election?
Would the leaders of the Republican Party, Majority Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan, reconsider their endorsements of the nominee who might be facing criminal indictment? In other words, would they be willing for the Party to take a short-term hit to avoid a long-term disaster?
Many people brush off Mr. Trump's words and actions as that of a "clown" who shouldn't be taken too seriously. This attitude underestimates his power and potential. The Times article reports that a bankruptcy judge approved of a problematic re-financing deal on the grounds "that the Trump brand is worth millions of dollars" to the casinos. He is a sales and marketing genius who may persuade enough people to elect him the next president of the United States.
Has the state attorney in New Jersey or the SEC opened an investigation of whether he violated any laws or regulations and, if so, whether he might be criminally liable. If not, will they do so before the November election?
Would the leaders of the Republican Party, Majority Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan, reconsider their endorsements of the nominee who might be facing criminal indictment? In other words, would they be willing for the Party to take a short-term hit to avoid a long-term disaster?
Many people brush off Mr. Trump's words and actions as that of a "clown" who shouldn't be taken too seriously. This attitude underestimates his power and potential. The Times article reports that a bankruptcy judge approved of a problematic re-financing deal on the grounds "that the Trump brand is worth millions of dollars" to the casinos. He is a sales and marketing genius who may persuade enough people to elect him the next president of the United States.
13
Are you kidding? These people who slobber all over the flim flam man can't wait to see Hillary indicted for breaches of government security regulations so they can install Trump in the only job in Washington that gives no-access-denied power to its holder.
3
OMG, so just like a lot of jerks during the last mortgage crisis, he took out sub-prime loans, pulled cash into his other businesses, then defaulted, leaving himself with the cash, and the idiot lenders holding the bag! Only difference between him and the other deadbeats is that he borrowed $3.5 Billion rather than $350,000, and this doesn't seem to have ruined his credit rating. This story really makes me want to throw up. The Republicans must be so proud of themselves.
242
Contributors to this forum underestimate Trump's financial genius.
He will repay his loans to his campaign from contributions by wealthy people who think he's their only chance to continue to hang on to favors granted by the Republican congress. So his run for president won't cost him a thing. In fact, he'll make money by "renting" his own airplanes and buildings and getting paid for that too.
Then after he loses, his brand will be Yuge and he will be able to score more millions from more ghost-written books and sensationalist TV shows. Who knows? He might even start up the Trump School of Politics! (He could pump Henry Kissinger full of formaldehyde and make him the chancellor.)
He will repay his loans to his campaign from contributions by wealthy people who think he's their only chance to continue to hang on to favors granted by the Republican congress. So his run for president won't cost him a thing. In fact, he'll make money by "renting" his own airplanes and buildings and getting paid for that too.
Then after he loses, his brand will be Yuge and he will be able to score more millions from more ghost-written books and sensationalist TV shows. Who knows? He might even start up the Trump School of Politics! (He could pump Henry Kissinger full of formaldehyde and make him the chancellor.)
16
Most of this story could have been published years ago and certainly a year ago when Trump announced he was running. His Atlantic City history has been public knowledge for years.
9
Money is not the endgame for Trump, admiration is. He is hopelessly hooked on admiration and will go to any lengths to get it. That's why every one of his public appearances is a boast-fest. This phenomenon is called Narcissistic Personality Disorder. To have someone with this lifetime affliction in the oval office will have repercussions we can barely fathom.
15
DT is ADDICTED to admiration! Thus, he will never be able to read from a TelePrompTer or follow a script for long. He feeds on adulation, worship.
At the same time, all those who bow down to His Majesty, must be ground dwon. He's a sadist who also must be worshipped. To feed his megalomania, he must cause all supporters, ultimately, to suffer.
All political elites who prostitute themselves to His Worship will be punished.
Sadistic Don will bleed every Sucker dry.
At the same time, all those who bow down to His Majesty, must be ground dwon. He's a sadist who also must be worshipped. To feed his megalomania, he must cause all supporters, ultimately, to suffer.
All political elites who prostitute themselves to His Worship will be punished.
Sadistic Don will bleed every Sucker dry.
3
All due respect, I'm a subscriber, but exposés like this tease out how out of touch the elite media is. None of us, meaning his supports, care. We care about: 1.) trade reform, 2.) immigration reform, and 3.) terrorism.
2
With all due respect, I seriously doubt that Trump is in the race for anything other than the potential for personal gain. He has no intention of addressing the issues you list.
11
One candidate, Trump, is talking about those issues and taking America first positions. The other, Clinton, is not.
1
No matter how successfully the NY Times demonstrates, as it does so devastatingly well in this article, that Trump the emperor has no clothes, it won't matter one iota to his legions of followers. They don't care that he is a sociopathic liar. They know he's a con man, a misogynist, racist, a failure. They don't care. Their lives are such, their sense of disenfranchisement and animosity towards 'the system' are such, that they prefer modern history's most self-aggrandizing snake oil salesman to any relatively decent and experienced politician to become the leader of the free world -- because they don't see our world as a free world, but one in which you've gotta emulate and worship the Donald in order to succeed. This is a world increasingly filled with and ruled by sociopaths, and Trump hit the crest just right -- and all the millions and millions who support him are quite willing to bring down the curtain on our democratic experiment, because they simply do not care about the future, not for themselves, not for their children. It's all about them, all about buying into the illusion and lie that is Donald Trump.
13
We do not care because the Dems have nominated a fool who is just as guilty if nit more so than Trump. Clinton foundation I would like to see a list of donors. So who is naive?
This is a pattern with Trump. He farms out his name, builds a castle around himself and then walks away free and clear when it all fall in. He did the same thing with his Trump development here in Baja. People bought in because of his name. When the development folded it turned out that he had only sold the naming rights and had zero liability. He walked away and the investors lost their life savings. Watch, it will be the same with Trump U.
Trump is going to double cross his voters if he gets into the Presidency. This is all about pumping him up, he could care less about the people involved. It is a life long pattern and he is doing it again.
Trump is going to double cross his voters if he gets into the Presidency. This is all about pumping him up, he could care less about the people involved. It is a life long pattern and he is doing it again.
13
This is not an isolated incident. People should look into Trump's 10-year involvement with the ACN, a multi-level marketing scheme that used him as their chief spokesman in their recruiting videos. He now says he knows nothing about the company, but this is laughable--he was the anchor for video pitches shown at their recruitment seminars for many, many years. He was their paid endorser.
I went to such a seminar with my father a few years ago, and it was quite a scene. Trump comes on the screen and tries to convince you that this is the dream opportunity that you've been waiting for, and then a series of spokespeople come up to the podium to build the excitement. Over half of the folks in the audience are already "associates" and cheer loudly for the others onstage. If you can just sign up your friends and family members you'll be making money very quickly, they say.
The problem is that they were selling video phones (yes, video phones) at a time when it was clear that FaceTime and other live chat options were ascendent. Thus, the product wasn't really the way the company made money, it was the $500 fee that was required to sign up.
My dad was in need of some quick cash at the time, and almost joined. I'm glad he didn't. Google "ACN scam" and you'll find lots to think about.
I went to such a seminar with my father a few years ago, and it was quite a scene. Trump comes on the screen and tries to convince you that this is the dream opportunity that you've been waiting for, and then a series of spokespeople come up to the podium to build the excitement. Over half of the folks in the audience are already "associates" and cheer loudly for the others onstage. If you can just sign up your friends and family members you'll be making money very quickly, they say.
The problem is that they were selling video phones (yes, video phones) at a time when it was clear that FaceTime and other live chat options were ascendent. Thus, the product wasn't really the way the company made money, it was the $500 fee that was required to sign up.
My dad was in need of some quick cash at the time, and almost joined. I'm glad he didn't. Google "ACN scam" and you'll find lots to think about.
8
What a Marvelous Resume for the top job in the Country! Once elected he will be able to pick the pockets of every citizen in the land and all Foreign Investors! And Guess Who will be lobbying for a pay increase and Bonus Program for Himself with every Contract he signs whether for new Defence equipment or for changing light bulbs in the White House! Wake up America & Americans!
6
This journalism is a beautiful thing NY Times. More please.
17
He negotiates? No he doesn't. He robs. This is the credo of all the big real estate guys in NYC in particular. It's dog eat dog and you've got to be the biggest dog to get your way. Think about it, You want this scuzzy creature to run the country just because he's like Putin?
16
People don't understand that giving FREE limited liability protection to corporate owners is one of the greatest rip-offs in the history of the world. Limited liability (the 'LLC' in 'LLC') insures corporate owners from liability when the companies they own fail to repay debts or harm others. This is similar to auto or homeowners insurance, except that corporate owners get this insurance FOR FREE. Why on earth, in a free market economy, would we give anyone insurance for free?!?
The reason Trump could do what he's done is that limited liability is provided for free. If he had had to pay for liability protection, his profits--quite rightly--would have been much, much smaller.
You can't get something for nothing. Someone ALWAYS pays. Free limited liability is paid for by the public, instead of the corporate owners. It's unjust, inefficient, and immoral.
The reason Trump could do what he's done is that limited liability is provided for free. If he had had to pay for liability protection, his profits--quite rightly--would have been much, much smaller.
You can't get something for nothing. Someone ALWAYS pays. Free limited liability is paid for by the public, instead of the corporate owners. It's unjust, inefficient, and immoral.
7
He has double-crossed and sued his way to his supposed fortune. He has no soul.
You wouldn't buy a used car from the man and people want him to be President?
You wouldn't buy a used car from the man and people want him to be President?
11
Further evidence of Trump's shady business practices and his 'gaming' the system for his own person gain. Sort of what's he's trying to do right now...
7
What are they thinking? Really? When you look at Hillary I don't know what they are thinking. I am thinking I am going to vote for Donald!
No kidding! Trump is a con man, and everyone should know it and admit it.
8
And Let us not forget How he tried immensely hard to toss a woman out of Home so he could build a Parking Lot for Trump Towers.
This article can say much but I believe that the best line of fact is:
"“He put a number of local contractors and suppliers out of business when he didn’t pay them,” said Steven P. Perskie,"
This does depict the kind of person and Leader trump would be breaching his promises while failing to represent We the People first and foremost! He'd slide by Us and go and hide in that office! ALL FOR ONE NONE FOR ALL!
This article can say much but I believe that the best line of fact is:
"“He put a number of local contractors and suppliers out of business when he didn’t pay them,” said Steven P. Perskie,"
This does depict the kind of person and Leader trump would be breaching his promises while failing to represent We the People first and foremost! He'd slide by Us and go and hide in that office! ALL FOR ONE NONE FOR ALL!
12
why does anyone invest in his projects knowing what a sleaze he is ?
dont they do due diligence anymore ?
dont they do due diligence anymore ?
8
Just can't wait to read an equally "honest" article about Hillary. How she obtained millions after leaving the White House broke. Would like to see an investigation of the Clinton Foundation too. Of course that won't happen it would have to be an honest investigation and this paper would never think of doing that.
2
Sir/Madam help me understand how a charitable worldwide operation compares with "sleazy real estate dealings".
13
It's no secret this guy is a pump and dumper, folks.
What I want to know is why no one is talking about Little Nicki. Like anyone got through NJ without paying his tax, not to mention all the skim that comes of milking inflated cash cows.
What I want to know is why no one is talking about Little Nicki. Like anyone got through NJ without paying his tax, not to mention all the skim that comes of milking inflated cash cows.
7
When the NYT finds something actually illegal Trump did, let us know. Meanwhile, it's easy pickins' to look into a person who actually creates jobs and is a capitalist since there's always a chance of failure, rather than one who is forever on the public payroll.
2
Corporatists and banksters ruined our economy, that was legal, and that's alright?
10
What a perfect metaphor for what Trump has in store for US.
"I pulled a lot of money out of that disaster."
"I pulled a lot of money out of that disaster."
21
Tell a lie often enough and people will begin to believe it. Shouldn't that method work with the truth too?
NYT needs to run articles like this every day 'till after the election.
NYT needs to run articles like this every day 'till after the election.
10
Indeed, more troubling than Trump's ability to fool himself and others into manipulating the system and what he created in Atlantic city, is the frightening denial he exhibits in rewriting his history to reflect what really happened there. So many local folks lost money and/or their businesses due to his greed, lack of ethics and responsibility yet, he brags that he did so well there. He was "lucky," he says, when so many were not.
And, he tells us each day how lucky we will be to have him running our country. Lucky, indeed.
And, he tells us each day how lucky we will be to have him running our country. Lucky, indeed.
17
Let's not forget that a couple of months ago Trump said that if President he would treat our national debt the same way by paying only around 80 % of what's owed by the Federal government on U.S.Treasury bonds. Even though this would destroy the U.S. credit rating,probably plunge the global economy into a terrible depression,and would be unconstitutional.So not only must his finger be kept off the nuclear button,his pen must be kept far away from the Federal ledgers.
14
"In one instance, The Times found, Mr. Trump pulled more than $1 million from his failing public company, describing the transaction in securities filings in ways that may have been illegal, according to legal experts."
Thank you NYT for exposing these potentially illegal schemes Donald J. Trump perpetrated on his investors and contractors. I read every single word of this comprehensive report when it was posted yesterday. And all I could think was, how can this buffoon brag about his "business" expertise when what he was running was essentially, a reverse Ponzi scheme for one person.
After specifically being instructed not to purchase properties with high debt ratios, he defied gaming commissioners and forged ahead. What a scheme! Load a casino with debt, run it for a few years while raiding the funds invested by others to pay himself or borrow money, then run it into bankruptcy and/or pay bondholders less on the dollar, while keeping himself immune from lawsuits.
Pretty clever. For a fraud and a thief. But for a Presidential candidate? I mean, how could he keep doing this, not once but 4 times? It certainly shows how corrupt the Gaming Commission must have been during Trump's tenure in Atlantic City.
Broken promises, investor fraud, getting an investment analyst fired for criticizing him? Wow.
Just imagine what he could do as Commander in Chief.
Thank you NYT for exposing these potentially illegal schemes Donald J. Trump perpetrated on his investors and contractors. I read every single word of this comprehensive report when it was posted yesterday. And all I could think was, how can this buffoon brag about his "business" expertise when what he was running was essentially, a reverse Ponzi scheme for one person.
After specifically being instructed not to purchase properties with high debt ratios, he defied gaming commissioners and forged ahead. What a scheme! Load a casino with debt, run it for a few years while raiding the funds invested by others to pay himself or borrow money, then run it into bankruptcy and/or pay bondholders less on the dollar, while keeping himself immune from lawsuits.
Pretty clever. For a fraud and a thief. But for a Presidential candidate? I mean, how could he keep doing this, not once but 4 times? It certainly shows how corrupt the Gaming Commission must have been during Trump's tenure in Atlantic City.
Broken promises, investor fraud, getting an investment analyst fired for criticizing him? Wow.
Just imagine what he could do as Commander in Chief.
24
This makes Trump's decision to run for political office even more clear.
The banks don't trust him now and won't give him any more money ... he's run out of suckers there and has to find new ones.
The banks don't trust him now and won't give him any more money ... he's run out of suckers there and has to find new ones.
21
Trump is a con man, one of many. At this level bankruptcy is a welfare check for those who can afford it. Ironic. In fact there seems to be a great deal of welfare available for millionaires who are irresponsible and gamble with others livelihoods.
How about an article on the "local contractors and suppliers out of business when he didn’t pay them".
How about an article on the "local contractors and suppliers out of business when he didn’t pay them".
17
Yes, but the State Department was for sale to the highest bidder under Hillary Clinton's tenure....
3
"Yes, But..." Should be the entire text of the RNC Platform that comes out of Cleveland. Moral relativism is the New New Testament. Absurd.
9
Hillary has been under GOPer investigations for 30 years. And you got nutin'!
We're just getting started on Donald and there is a veritable Gold Mine of dirt on The Donald. And we're going to drag it out into the sunshine so we all can watch it steam and stink.
We're just getting started on Donald and there is a veritable Gold Mine of dirt on The Donald. And we're going to drag it out into the sunshine so we all can watch it steam and stink.
9
Not true. End of story on that line of propaganda.
9
Donald Trump is the most successful failure the world has ever known.
14
Are authorities now doing anything to prosecute the illegal financial transactions? Why not?
7
His business practices remind me of the Robber Barons of the past. He is not who I think will benefit the people of the United States if he becomes President. Certainly this information on his business should give many people cause for concern.
8
Readers who have a few minutes might want to watch the video of the 1968 Nixon acceptance speech at the republican convention. It sounds like DT is channeling him and Nixon even called for a new "revolution" in America to take the country back from protesters and give it to wealthy white men. Liars, cheats and scoundrels both. It is time for a new story in America. Time to elect Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton as our next President and elect every other qualified socially-conscious woman on your ballot.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25968#
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25968#
15
Ever hear the term " historical fallacy"....
There were REAL protesters in 1968, many of them violent, if you took the time watch what happened around our country and even weeks later outside the Democratic Party convention in Chicago that summer.
However, you make a good point that the term "revolution" is something that we should be always on guard for because it is the modus operandi of far too many demagogue politicians...and not just those on the political right, as evidenced in Bernie Sanders' appeal to an equally ill-informed and angry audience.
There were REAL protesters in 1968, many of them violent, if you took the time watch what happened around our country and even weeks later outside the Democratic Party convention in Chicago that summer.
However, you make a good point that the term "revolution" is something that we should be always on guard for because it is the modus operandi of far too many demagogue politicians...and not just those on the political right, as evidenced in Bernie Sanders' appeal to an equally ill-informed and angry audience.
I hope his potential vice presidents are preparing to explain. Trump can bluster and blow -- but two guys like that on the same ticket? Chris Christie, prepare for the brightest of lights to shine on you!
11
"He repeatedly emphasized that what really mattered about his time in Atlantic City was that he had made a lot of money there."
I pity those who believe this man has a shred of concern about them or their problems.
I pity those who believe this man has a shred of concern about them or their problems.
70
Trump ran free bus trips from Harlem and Brooklyn to his casinos with complementary meal tickets in the hopes that people would be seduced and looted by the slots and the games. They were. He is a predator. He took a magnificent wreck of a resort town and turned it into and ugly shell of a wreck. He would do the same to our nation and there is a basis in all this for much excitement among the white supremacist groups who inveigh against Jews and gender rights advocates as well as all racial minorities. Thing about this, how would Trump continue to 'please' his mob, err, 'fans and supporters?' You might 'misconstrue that this make him a Nazi, it doesn't - he's simply serving 'the people's will.' That is the 'people' who are permanently enraged and attend his rallies as if they were wrestling mania events.
44
Most intelligent people know the danger that this con man Trump represents, the question is really what state of enlightenment have the American people achieved and how successfully they can prevail against a system that is blatantly designed against them.
There were millions of Germans who knew in 1932 that Hitler was a gas bag and a mortal danger. A few left the country, the rest had a stage sight seat to total destruction.
There were millions of Germans who knew in 1932 that Hitler was a gas bag and a mortal danger. A few left the country, the rest had a stage sight seat to total destruction.
29
Yes. And a great many of the people in Germany in the 1930s who were sounding alarms were journalists, educated professionals, and the intellectual elite (professors, scientists, etc.). Exactly the type of people now who are doing the same thing and being derided by Trump supporters as the evil "elite."
7
King Midas had the touch that turned everything to gold. Though he lies about it, Trump apparently has the touch that turns things to dust...and then he blames others.
34
Great article but a little late isn't it? Now we're stuck with a choice of this guy and Hillary. I don't know actually if Joe Sixpack ever will catch on before it's too late. I really don't know what to do on election day.
7
Trump's "successes" have always been built on the back of the little people, the silly people who misjudge him as either a great leader or a great businessman. From the old ladies who visited his casinos, to the small businessmen who would always get 70 cents on a dollar, and to the people who admired him and decided to drop 35 grand on a fake school, his latest victim is the members of the Republican party. George W could be the start of a major decline of this great and long enduring republic. Trump may be its coup de grace.
276
I have always wondered two things:
Why anyone would do business with Trump?
And given the company he has kept, why isn't he right next to Jimmy Hoffa in Giants stadium?
Why anyone would do business with Trump?
And given the company he has kept, why isn't he right next to Jimmy Hoffa in Giants stadium?
3
Old men go to casinos too.
2
A streak of SADISM runs through all of Don Juan's exploits. Intense pleasure in trumping everyone. Lying stealing, cheating, grinding down every "party" with whom he "deals" in his never ending need to win, to soak every stakeholder, to twist the knife and make them bleed.
He feeds on misdeeds.
He feeds on misdeeds.
50
It's not that he is narcissistic to the nth degree but he is maniacal and sadistic.
5
Neither difficult to imagine, nor understand. You run into lousy people, like this, every day. You get as far away from them as you can, as fast as you can. Trust your gut.
33
Trump is the ultimate self promoter, & marketer - that's it..The only things he 's accomplished is that he didn't blow his inheritance & he knows how to use Twitter....
He doesn't care about anything other than himself....
He is the worst presidential candiate in a long, long time....Perhaps the worst ever...
He doesn't care about anything other than himself....
He is the worst presidential candiate in a long, long time....Perhaps the worst ever...
56
This was a truly exceptional stand-out article. I'm significantly impressed at the depth of detail gleaned from your hard work in researching the material. This is yet another reason I will forever read the Times. Thank you again.
143
"By December 1990, when Mr. Trump needed to make an $18.4 million interest payment, his father, Fred C. Trump, sent a lawyer to the Castle to buy $3.3 million in chips, to provide him with an infusion of cash. The younger Mr. Trump made the payment, but the Casino Control Commission fined the Castle $65,000 for what had amounted to an illegal loan."
Daddy to the (illegal) rescue.
Not only was DT born on third base but thinks he hit a triple... his father tries to bunt him home.
Daddy to the (illegal) rescue.
Not only was DT born on third base but thinks he hit a triple... his father tries to bunt him home.
70
So much for Trump's claims about himself!
He'll surround himself with the best people? He fired someone who dared not to be a yes-man and instead told the truth.
He'll look out for vulnerable workers? He left them high and dry.
He always wins? Atlantic City was a big loss, which still didn't hurt him as badly as it hurt others.
He'll surround himself with the best people? He fired someone who dared not to be a yes-man and instead told the truth.
He'll look out for vulnerable workers? He left them high and dry.
He always wins? Atlantic City was a big loss, which still didn't hurt him as badly as it hurt others.
33
You have just penned a paradigm of political correctness spewing high ideals without valid detail to support the accusations of Trump's "antithetical to the principles contained in the constitution."
3
"Without valid details"? Read it again. This time with your eyes open.
9
David Darman: As said, "The Truth sometimes hurts." Also, in the words of the fictional Commanding Officer at Guantanamo, "You can't handle the truth!" Rather than criticizing the Times, why don't you just analyze any of the episodes of Trump financial acumen and explain why it is wrongly portrayed?
3
What Trump did in Atlantic City is all really wonderful I would expect President Trump to make the United States the winner in his deals for the Country.
2
Why does the NYT investigate and write stories about issues from Trumps deep past? Why is this issue? Why does not the NYT present "fair and balanced" reporting, like FN, and do some stories about the Clinton's financial shenanigans, especially taking millions dollars from the enemies of the US as "donations" to the Clinton Foundation? Thank you!
5
They have. Repeatedly. Your refusal to go look--which you need to support your notions about the Vast Liberal Conspiracy--does not mean that they do not exist.
10
This story reflects the fact that time and again Trump cares only for his own bottomline, nothing else. Trump University is another example of one of his businesses currently under fire for taking advantage of the same people he claims to want to help. Hopefully justice will be served to his victims. He doesn't care about anyone or anything but himself. This man is not the savior of the masses.
7
Not. even close
4
If Trump was not running for president, these sordid, immoral but legal business tactics would be written off in the press as the expected actions of narcissistic self-centered, silver spooned man child. We can be sure that Trump is not the only high roller guilty of these kind of crass, greedy, unethical business practices, but in this circle of amoral creeps, Trump is the one creep that IS running for president. If any of the other 2016 presidential candidates, democrat or republican, had the same history, they would have been castigated and thrown out of the race the moment this story was published. So what makes Trump immune to this kind of scrutiny? He lies about his business successes, and just about everything else, and his followers applaud even louder.
351
I sense the bloom is coming off the rose. Investigative journalism of this depth is coming to light. It will be imperative for all news outlets, not just liberal ones, to honestly discuss Trump's business 'success' or not. Then it's 'let the American people decide.' If the average voter is smart enough to understand the basic message - that Trump is a good salesman but a fraud - then he won't win the election. If the average American continues to believe the mirage of his success, then we're doomed.
3
And not being a career politician, he does it all, no strings (truth or political constraints) attached, and doesn't really care if he wins or loses.
1
Change the laws but don't vilify Trump for using them.
People are responsible for the investments they make win or lose. Nobody forced individuals to invest in Trump's casino. Many other major casino's also filed bankruptcy.
People are responsible for the investments they make win or lose. Nobody forced individuals to invest in Trump's casino. Many other major casino's also filed bankruptcy.
3
If you actually read the article, you'll notice that a lot of this was kept hidden from ordinary stockholders, or buried in chains of bizarre financial transactions, or flat-out lied about.
It's pretty much what brought on 2007, in fact. But no, Trump didn't write the laws or elect the politicians that permitted this...ah, stuff.
He only took advantage, and did so in flagrantly unethical ways.
It's pretty much what brought on 2007, in fact. But no, Trump didn't write the laws or elect the politicians that permitted this...ah, stuff.
He only took advantage, and did so in flagrantly unethical ways.
8
How about all the money he cheated out of his contractors? Were they investors? What about unpaid overtime? These people acted in good faith.
9
Trump's repeated excuse for such behavior is that he was a businessman and so his job was to make as much money as legally possible. But if he wants to be judged solely by the standards of the business world, let him stay in the business world. It may not always be apparent, but the world of governance -- and those who would operate in it -- are expected to adhere to a higher moral standard.
46
I'm awaiting his next bestseller, 'The Art of the Steal".
46
Dear Mr. Paul Ryan, this is the man you endorse? In that case I can't endorse you.
50
Trump-style business is all about manipulating cash flow through arcane legal transactions, allowing him to plunder his companies of the cash they need to function.
Trump is a deceitful manipulator, operating in the gray zones of the law, who damages thosands of lives. And some people want to turn our country over to this greed-obessessed sociopath who robs Peter, but refuses to pay Paul and pockets the money himself?
Trump is a deceitful manipulator, operating in the gray zones of the law, who damages thosands of lives. And some people want to turn our country over to this greed-obessessed sociopath who robs Peter, but refuses to pay Paul and pockets the money himself?
53
Chris Christie is the governor of New Jersey right? And Atlantic City is in New Jersey right? Why the heck is Chris Christie supporting Trump's presidential bid with this kind of info coming out about how Trump has hurt many New Jersey based businesses?
71
Thank you Roger, excellent question.
11
The greatest Ponzi scheme by a con artist and still folks vote him! Ludicrous
48
He's a user. Uses everyone around him, chews them up and spits them out. He's doing it right now to the republican party and they're pretending they can control it. He'll do it to the whole country too.
75
Tell me something new. His supporters have passed the point of no return.
17
Another "hit piece" on Trump by the NY Times--and more red meat, thrown to the socialists who believe this to be their bible.
How odd...no mention of the economic conditions of Atlantic City--about the competing casinos, mostly Native-American owned, who drew away business from Trumps casinos--or the blight of Atlantic City--which made then entire area less than ideal for this type of business. Also no mention of the thousands of other businesses Trump has run successfully. I'm wondering...what is the failure rate, including the casinos--of all the businesses Trump has been involved with? I'll wager (pun intended) less than 1%.
Meanwhile, Liberal politicians are busily bankrupting entire cities around the U.S. , including Detroit, Chicago, Flint, Stockton--without so much as a mention. And when big-government policies lead to the failure of entire countries--such as Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Cuba, Greece, what does the NY Times have to say about that? Nuthin'. It's still all about bashing Trump--because it is believed he may attempt to curtail the influence of big government.
How odd...no mention of the economic conditions of Atlantic City--about the competing casinos, mostly Native-American owned, who drew away business from Trumps casinos--or the blight of Atlantic City--which made then entire area less than ideal for this type of business. Also no mention of the thousands of other businesses Trump has run successfully. I'm wondering...what is the failure rate, including the casinos--of all the businesses Trump has been involved with? I'll wager (pun intended) less than 1%.
Meanwhile, Liberal politicians are busily bankrupting entire cities around the U.S. , including Detroit, Chicago, Flint, Stockton--without so much as a mention. And when big-government policies lead to the failure of entire countries--such as Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Cuba, Greece, what does the NY Times have to say about that? Nuthin'. It's still all about bashing Trump--because it is believed he may attempt to curtail the influence of big government.
3
Please name a few of his "thousands" of successful businesses. Steaks? Wine? University? Casinos? We'll wait.
10
He's basically a legal crook. If he is elected, he will crash the economy even worse than the tard Bush. If not for his father's money, Trump would be selling paint at Home Depot.
44
That's a bit unfair, I'm sure there are good people working at Home Depot.
8
Home Depot would put him in the manure department. He knows that product well.
4
No, he would be a shiny suited, fast talking, used car salesman.
2
My takehome is that Trump didn't fleece investors once - he did it multiple times
why did people keep giving Trump money ?
why did people keep buying his bonds ?
I believe that Trump is a low class version of Romney; my impression from Mitts run is that his "success" was largely due (esp the Kansas steel mill) to a similar scam model: get people to loan you money, and skim off the top.
why did people keep giving Trump money ?
why did people keep buying his bonds ?
I believe that Trump is a low class version of Romney; my impression from Mitts run is that his "success" was largely due (esp the Kansas steel mill) to a similar scam model: get people to loan you money, and skim off the top.
15
I keep telling people-if we, the people, elect Trump, we are not Trump, we're the people who worked with him and his investors. Look at what happened to them. Vote carefully.
17
Move over Bernie Madoff. The Donald is now the leading scammer in US history. His record of scamming vast sums of money off of others, places him at the pinnacle of all the pyramid schemes. In fact, we should rename the con in his nefarious honor: Trumponzi.
32
“Atlantic City fueled a lot of growth for me,” Mr. Trump said in an interview in May, summing up his 25-year history here. “The money I took out of there was incredible.”
Shameless, utterly shameless. What emerges from this article is a history in which Trump used the casinos as a device to syphon off other people's money into unrelated Trump ventures.
Why isn't Trump doing time for this? Where were the US Attorneys for New York and New Jersey when this massive fraud and looting were taking place?
To borrow an expression from Bernie, government doesn't regulate Trump. Trump regulates government - and lenders - and investors . . .
Shameless, utterly shameless. What emerges from this article is a history in which Trump used the casinos as a device to syphon off other people's money into unrelated Trump ventures.
Why isn't Trump doing time for this? Where were the US Attorneys for New York and New Jersey when this massive fraud and looting were taking place?
To borrow an expression from Bernie, government doesn't regulate Trump. Trump regulates government - and lenders - and investors . . .
34
All business people know that there is a fortune to be made when a business is thrown into bankruptcy. Some resist the temptation; many don't.
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
8
In the late 1980s Spy Magazine called The Donald the Short Fingered Vulgarian. His talent then for mysogny, lies, crooked deal-making and crass brass and lucite environments was just beginning. Today, it is perfected. He is the natural heir to all the racist-baiting, narcissistic, money-grubbing, hypocritical bible thumping that has spewed forth from the likes of Atwater, Helms, Palin, Cruz and other republican "conservatives" since then.
He treated his casinos like a "cash cow," "I made unbelievable amounts of money"--on the backs of others, at the expense of others. He maybe the most unrepentant charlatan to ever run for public office. And that's astonishing in a nation where men like Ted Cruz can say things on camera that can even cause his own mother to sigh and roll her eyes in amazement.
The Short Fingered Vulgarian is the product of a culture in decline fed by greed, reality TV, and blameless news. We can only hope he will implode when the bitter white voters enthralled by this mean spirited master realize he's riding them towards the White House only to serve himself.
Then again, by the bloated, red looks of him, there's an outside chance that God herself will stop the SFV while he's consuming a monstrous Trump Steak. Live like a beast. Die like a beast.
He treated his casinos like a "cash cow," "I made unbelievable amounts of money"--on the backs of others, at the expense of others. He maybe the most unrepentant charlatan to ever run for public office. And that's astonishing in a nation where men like Ted Cruz can say things on camera that can even cause his own mother to sigh and roll her eyes in amazement.
The Short Fingered Vulgarian is the product of a culture in decline fed by greed, reality TV, and blameless news. We can only hope he will implode when the bitter white voters enthralled by this mean spirited master realize he's riding them towards the White House only to serve himself.
Then again, by the bloated, red looks of him, there's an outside chance that God herself will stop the SFV while he's consuming a monstrous Trump Steak. Live like a beast. Die like a beast.
23
This whole tale reminds me of Trollope's great satire, The Way We Live Now, where the hero Augustus Melmotte blusters his way into high society and from there convinces everyone he's fabulously wealthy and successful. Once Melmotte's persona is established, he lures the rich, who live by the rule of greed, to invest in his enterprises while he himself never puts up a shilling of his own.
.
In the novel, of course, the story of the financial scandal that results comes with the delectable details of the interwoven personal lives of the many lurid characters.
What strikes me most is that all that's needed for the Times story to be turned into a contemporary version of Trollope's is an account of Trump's personal life over the past two and half decades. While he was moving around these vast sums of money that weren't his, all the while skimming off millions, he was also romping around with his many beautiful "model" girlfriends (ha ha), hosting lavish parties, flying here and there, hosting ridiculous entertainment shows, hanging out with scuzzy, vulgar rich folk, and generally indulging in obscene ostentatiousness and boorishness.
Mr. President, you say?
.
In the novel, of course, the story of the financial scandal that results comes with the delectable details of the interwoven personal lives of the many lurid characters.
What strikes me most is that all that's needed for the Times story to be turned into a contemporary version of Trollope's is an account of Trump's personal life over the past two and half decades. While he was moving around these vast sums of money that weren't his, all the while skimming off millions, he was also romping around with his many beautiful "model" girlfriends (ha ha), hosting lavish parties, flying here and there, hosting ridiculous entertainment shows, hanging out with scuzzy, vulgar rich folk, and generally indulging in obscene ostentatiousness and boorishness.
Mr. President, you say?
285
I've read that book twice. It remains remarkably current.
3
DT - Chief Thief. "But even as his companies did poorly, Mr. Trump did well. He put up little of his own money, shifted personal debts to the casinos and collected millions of dollars in salary, bonuses and other payments. The burden of his failures fell on investors and others who had bet on his business acumen." The king of no-social-conscience cheats and losers.
45
Millions of dollars in investment money and can't make a profit on casinos? Nuff said.
34
Yawn. Still searching for a positive or even objective article about Trump in the New York Times.
Funny how not even my most benign comments get published in the comments section.
Funny how not even my most benign comments get published in the comments section.
1
The simple reason is that there are no positives about Trump.
6
Move over Bernie Madoff. Donald is now the leading scammer in US history. His method of scamming vast sums of money off of others, places him at the pinnacle of all pyramid schemes. In fact, let's rename it: "Trumponzi" in his nefarious honor.
134
"Fool me once..."
It is easy for a lender to use legal mechanisms like mortgages, pledged bank accounts, and restrictions on dividends to prevent a dishonest owner from asset stripping a real estate company the way Trump did.
Maybe the investors in the first batch of junk bonds can be forgiven. But the investors who arrived after the first and second bankruptcies, by which time it should have been fully apparent that Trump had his hand in the cookie jar, should have used normal, everyday protections to prevent Trump from stealing their funds.
E.g., if the lender has a first lien mortgage: if the owner siphons funds until the company goes bust it is the owner, not the lender, who loses everything. If you have a pledge over bank accounts, you must sign off on all expenditures by the company. And if you have a restriction on dividends you have justification not to sign a check the owner tries to write himself to steal your funds.
It is hard to believe that the 2nd and 3rd round lenders were really this incompetent.
It is easy for a lender to use legal mechanisms like mortgages, pledged bank accounts, and restrictions on dividends to prevent a dishonest owner from asset stripping a real estate company the way Trump did.
Maybe the investors in the first batch of junk bonds can be forgiven. But the investors who arrived after the first and second bankruptcies, by which time it should have been fully apparent that Trump had his hand in the cookie jar, should have used normal, everyday protections to prevent Trump from stealing their funds.
E.g., if the lender has a first lien mortgage: if the owner siphons funds until the company goes bust it is the owner, not the lender, who loses everything. If you have a pledge over bank accounts, you must sign off on all expenditures by the company. And if you have a restriction on dividends you have justification not to sign a check the owner tries to write himself to steal your funds.
It is hard to believe that the 2nd and 3rd round lenders were really this incompetent.
10
I agree with your thoughts. However, much of the failure of the casino industry was mirrored in Las Vegas. The difference is Las Vegas had many more billions of dollars available and more than just one man to fall back on.
2
Problem is they , the 2nd and 3rd lending tranches, were gaming as well,
The suits took a 7 to 10% fee then management fees on reselling the the bonds to another set of suits. Next set of suits package the bonds up and put in our 401k's. Of course 401k shyster is scamming his or her 3%.
Guess who loses? The bottom 99 to 95%, who wins Trump and the 1%.
As always.
The suits took a 7 to 10% fee then management fees on reselling the the bonds to another set of suits. Next set of suits package the bonds up and put in our 401k's. Of course 401k shyster is scamming his or her 3%.
Guess who loses? The bottom 99 to 95%, who wins Trump and the 1%.
As always.
9
Not sure if all this will make a difference to the electorate. The Trump camp is just spinning it their way. What is needed is action.
If the Republican leadership really wants to help be sure we are not electing an unscroupulous crook, much less a racist etc., let them sponsor a bill in Congress and pass a mandatory law that requires all Presidential candidates to release their tax returns. There would certainly be bi-partisan support and President Obama would most likely sign it while the ink was still drying.
Then "the Donald" may just stay as far away from Cleveland as he can. I just hope its not too late.
If the Republican leadership really wants to help be sure we are not electing an unscroupulous crook, much less a racist etc., let them sponsor a bill in Congress and pass a mandatory law that requires all Presidential candidates to release their tax returns. There would certainly be bi-partisan support and President Obama would most likely sign it while the ink was still drying.
Then "the Donald" may just stay as far away from Cleveland as he can. I just hope its not too late.
34
I have a small tale to tell on how the Trump organization treated (treats?) contractors. About 25 years ago in my portfolio I managed any construction, repairs, etc., needed for an 1830s Federal brownstone on Washington Square North. At one point we required repairs of molding, Corinthian capitals, fireplaces, etc., and hired a contractor through our facilities department. The contractor did an excellent job. A few weeks after the work was completed I was walking through Washington Square Park one noon, bumped into the contractor and told him again how delighted we were with the job. He looked quite glum and I asked him what was wrong. He said something like "I wish all our clients were as happy". On being asked for details he said one of his clients for whom they had done a major job six months before was not paying them. I asked "Why" and he said every time his office called to inquire about payment the comment always was "You wanna work for us again...then eat it." What a honorable organization the Trump folks are.
606
I have been involved in a small business providing consulting services to the New York City real estate industry. Prompt and full payments from these people are usually the exception. I keep advising the principal partner to drop certain, most troublesome clients. But he never does, always preferring part of the loaf to none of it.
12
Pure lie, name the contractor!
2
How do you know? Do you have any connection to this story?
2
People underestimated Donald Trump's ability to pillage the company (country). He drove those companies (America) into bankruptcy by his mismanagement, the dept and his pillaging. Sigh us right up! He's the man! But really, it is about time that his business practices have gotten some public scrutiny! Well done, especially highlighting the real people who lost so much in their bad dealings with the Donald. Keep up the good work!
43
All U.S. Representatives and Senators take an oath of office after they're elected. That oath requires them to "protect and support the Constitution of the United States." I keep wondering how any U.S. legislators can rationalize supporting Trump in light of those oaths. Trump's racism and all around bigotry are antithetical to the principles contained in the constitution. His attacks on Gonzalo Curiel, presiding judge in the Trump U fraud case, shows a serious lack of respect for the constitutional principle of separation of powers, along with more bigotry against the judge's Mexican heritage. Trump's desire for power, his stated willingness to ignore or override constitutional limits, represent a threat to the constitution. Once, at a town hall meeting, Trump was asked, in light of the hostility and suspicion directed toward Muslims in the U.S., what he would do to protect the constitutional rights of American Muslims. Instead of answering the question, Trump launched into tirade about an alleged threat to this country from American Muslims. I'm sure that all the Trump-supporting U.S. congressional legislators have sworn an oath of loyalty to the Republican Party. But the oaths they took as U.S. senators or representatives supersedes by far any party oath. Ignoring their oaths to "protect and support" the constitution is a reflection on their characters, just as Trump's bigotry and lack of respect for the constitution is a reflection on his.
109
He's only running to be Commander in Thief. He takes no oath seriously.
Unfit for office does not begin to describe it!
Unfit for office does not begin to describe it!
32
The trouble is that you Democrats have rejected Sanders and given us, instead, Hillary whose honesty index is not much higher than Trump's.
1
It's good that these facts are now coming out, but where were you NYT a year ago? Probably a non-issue because Trump's acolytes are highly unlikely to read this complex and fact-laden article "liberal hit piece."
If someone believes Trump will bring back their blue-collar jobs based on his flimsy Twitter-driven rants, they are already candidates for the Flat Earth Society. Il Duce has gathered a cadre of people around him who are immune to facts.
If someone believes Trump will bring back their blue-collar jobs based on his flimsy Twitter-driven rants, they are already candidates for the Flat Earth Society. Il Duce has gathered a cadre of people around him who are immune to facts.
192
Classic vulture capitalism: Buy or start a business with other people's money, suck the financial life out of the business by paying yourself huge salary and bonuses and plowing very little of the profits back into the business, then declare bankruptcy. Repeat with next company. The Donald has done this four times. He has left a wake of financial ruin wherever he's been, and yet, just because he comes out of it richer, he has the gall to think he's a good businessman. His campaign, like his failed businesses, is a house of cards. But what's truly amazing to watch, as this walking mendacity tries to assume the most powerful position of the free world, is the Republican leadership's embrace of him. If ever there was a clarion call for Republicans to stand up and put country before politics, this is it.
689
FXQ writes: " Classic vulture capitalism: Buy or start a business with other people's money, suck the financial life out of the business by paying yourself huge salary and bonuses and plowing very little of the profits back into the business, then declare bankruptcy. Repeat with next company. "
This also sounds a lot like Mitt Romney.
This also sounds a lot like Mitt Romney.
24
And what is also mazing is there are Sanders supporters who are saying they will back Trump over Hillary. That's right, supporters of Bernie Sanders, whose whole campaign is premised on attacking vulture capitalism.
10
But That is exactly what he is!
4
But... "believe me", "trust me", I'm very good at making good deals.... yes... and I have some beachfront property in Nevada I want to sell ya... Believe me.
35
Please, consider seeing a therapist -- or at least take a moment to reflect on your life and what kind of person you are -- if you feel the need to apologize for this man or excuse away this kind of boorish, greedy, venal behavior.
Because, seriously, this guy is a disgusting cretin!
Because, seriously, this guy is a disgusting cretin!
49
I have not heard trump calling the NYT 'hater' yet for this good piece of journalism.
12
That's because he always describes the paper as awful, liars, failing, going out of business.
9
As someone who was tangentially involved in the issues associated with Atlantic City casino gambling, I offer the following observations:
One, virtually everyone involved in casino development and investment had a significant sleaze factor. All were advised by legal and investment counsel, of varying degrees of skill and competence.
Two, the greed factor displayed by all participants was both breath taking and disgusting.
Three, like all get rich schemes, casino development and investment was fraught with perils, both known and unknown. And like all contracts among participants, whatever agreements governed Trump and his fellow casino venturers established the assignment of risks and rewards. Apparently Trump's advisors were better.
Four, the entire industry in Atlantic City has pretty much failed. Where all participants fail in a highly regulated industry such as casino gambling, much of the responsibility for failure rests with the regulators.
One, virtually everyone involved in casino development and investment had a significant sleaze factor. All were advised by legal and investment counsel, of varying degrees of skill and competence.
Two, the greed factor displayed by all participants was both breath taking and disgusting.
Three, like all get rich schemes, casino development and investment was fraught with perils, both known and unknown. And like all contracts among participants, whatever agreements governed Trump and his fellow casino venturers established the assignment of risks and rewards. Apparently Trump's advisors were better.
Four, the entire industry in Atlantic City has pretty much failed. Where all participants fail in a highly regulated industry such as casino gambling, much of the responsibility for failure rests with the regulators.
6
The promotion of gambling by government created the current public perception that success is just another game of Lotto in the US. It is one of the most disgraceful and counterproductive public policies enacted in our lifetimes. All because corrupt politicians would rather make suckers of a population of fools than collect taxes to educate them out of ignorance.
14
How or why someone else does business is irrelevant. Just because other businesses and casinos have failed does not mean that Trump has been unfairly singled out. It is perfectly legitimate to look closely at all aspects of his business dealings, particularly because he uses that as proof of his ability to lead the country. Yes, Atlantic City had more than it's share of greedy business people, bad advisors and ineffective regulators. That does not excuse Trump. The lame "everyone does it" excuse may work occasionally for six-year-olds, but it shouldn't for presidential candidates.
8
Nodding my head along with you until that last line. How were the regulators at fault?
Following Trump's financial catastrophes is sort of like the ultimate SAT reading/math comprehension test. But, if you can hang in their with this article, you will see the pattern unmistakably: a narcissist whose grandiosity drives him to launch projects of insane and destructive risk. And a sociopath, who when things go inevitably bad, will lure anything and anyone to give him money and then throw them under the bus to save himself. (Then, later, rewrite the catastrophe in in heroic terms.). This is his life compulsion
563
Speaking of reading and math, a friend who is a reading specialist suspects that Trump has trouble reading. Why is it that he can't stick to a teleprompter without veering off into free association? Back in his day, why were kids sent to military school? Often because they couldn't function in a main-stream classroom and/or were troublesome at home. And back in the days when he went to school, they didn't have IEPs and specialists for kids with learning problems. A lot of the behavior we see could be adept compensation for a variety of issues.
15
If you can fool them twice you can fool them until they have nothing left to steal. Trump embezzled them all to bankruptcy four times in quick succession, and they just kept coming back to be fleeced again. Now he is making fools of everyone.
The US couldn't be more stupid if it tried.
The US couldn't be more stupid if it tried.
613
Just because Trump used legal means to rip off small businesses doesn't mean it was the ethical or moral thing to do.
He's a textbook racist, lifelong thief, pathological liar and a proven con man. In fact, there are so many negative adjectives which define him that it becomes hard to know when to stop: insecure, thin-skinned, vengeful, childish, immature, maniacal, narcissistic, mean-spirited, cheap, untrustworthy, blowhard, uncaring, two-faced, ignorant, and stupid, to name just a few.
In short, Trump is all the things wrong with America.
He's a textbook racist, lifelong thief, pathological liar and a proven con man. In fact, there are so many negative adjectives which define him that it becomes hard to know when to stop: insecure, thin-skinned, vengeful, childish, immature, maniacal, narcissistic, mean-spirited, cheap, untrustworthy, blowhard, uncaring, two-faced, ignorant, and stupid, to name just a few.
In short, Trump is all the things wrong with America.
285
amen
2
And President Obama is brilliant, stoic, and well mannered. Yet he cares more about identity politics than helping struggling Americans.
Have anything to say about the article, Thomas? Otherwise you're just deflecting, for what purpose I can only imagine.
9
Why can't people see that Trump's run for president is just another one of his schemes to build his brand and make more money for himself? When he has lost, which he will, the details will eventually be revealed to show how he leveraged debt and tax write offs, built a new mega-market, promoted his family and existing products... He will have grown his empire a hundred-fold and be ready for the next scheme. As a Democrat confident in the outcome of this election, I do appreciate his expediting the demise of the dying Republican party and hopefully hastening the birth of its replacement with a new and worthier counterpart party so our democracy can move forward with governing.
378
If all of this news PLUS his obvious bigotry and disdain for the judiciary isn't enough to turn people off to him, what possibly could? Right now he's neck-in-neck in the polls with Hillary Clinton, so we need not to assume the outcome of this election.
3
Maybe after the election we'll all find out that this latest Donald adventure was to stave off impending bankruptcies. That makes the most sense after reading this news story.
4
Talking about democracy here? where Trump has beat the GOP establishment by being honest and receiving overwhelming public support. You like Hillary? she voted for the Iraq war continuously and now after 4600 US troops and at least 400,00 Iraqis killed she is "sorry". How many jobs has Hillary created? bet Trump employs many thousands. How dare Trump demand EU pay more for NATO we only pay 75% of it - how dare he. What has Hillary done except always say the correct political jargon.
If the United States is a casino, it is 17 trillion dollars in debt and without the help of Donald Trump.
I do not trust Trump, but neither do I trust his critics who are the ones who created the current mess.
I do not trust Trump, but neither do I trust his critics who are the ones who created the current mess.
4
our country spends a lot of our money helping people -- education, healthcare, food, job training, repairing infrastructure, transportation. Trump would do only things that benefit him.
7
You know what? The United States is not a casino. It is a sovereign country with its own currency and is therefore in a completely different situation.
I could also say: If the United States were a bird, then it would be in a terrible predicament since it doesn't have wings. Does that mean we should all be worried?
Bad analogies only get in the way of understanding.
I could also say: If the United States were a bird, then it would be in a terrible predicament since it doesn't have wings. Does that mean we should all be worried?
Bad analogies only get in the way of understanding.
6
The "current mess" is significantly better that what we had eight years ago when we were in an economic crisis and in a war that we should never have been in to begin with.
8
The Times article cites material omissions of fact in securities filings and the possibility of fraudulent conveyance when - in 2004 - the Trump company was headed to bankruptcy court for the third time. All of this occurred when Chris Christie was U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. Did Christie investigate?
In the 1990s, the Times reports, Trump drew $3 million from his public company "to cover costs he incurred while exploring whether to open a casino in Indiana." How does one spend $3 million in Indiana? It's at least ironic that when Christie, now governor of New Jersey and a key Trump supporter, signed legislation last month to help Atlantic City avoid bankruptcy, he criticized Atlantic City officials for "their tendencies of wasteful spending and mismanagement."
Finally, as to Trump testifying that his brand was worth $3 billion, the only product the Trump brand might suit at this point is toilet paper. Then again, why besmirch such a useful product?
In the 1990s, the Times reports, Trump drew $3 million from his public company "to cover costs he incurred while exploring whether to open a casino in Indiana." How does one spend $3 million in Indiana? It's at least ironic that when Christie, now governor of New Jersey and a key Trump supporter, signed legislation last month to help Atlantic City avoid bankruptcy, he criticized Atlantic City officials for "their tendencies of wasteful spending and mismanagement."
Finally, as to Trump testifying that his brand was worth $3 billion, the only product the Trump brand might suit at this point is toilet paper. Then again, why besmirch such a useful product?
437
Yes, we already see how DT was willing to make deals with attorneys general in Twxas and Florida to prevent those states from suing his Noniversity via (sooner or later) political donations, so is there a paper trail of such donations to Christie? Such a Tactic! Such a crook!
10
Deadbeat Donald. Preaches one thing while doing the opposite.
49
I think Donald Trump is a crook.
135
Donald as president will bankrupt the country like his did his hotels while he siphon off millions of dollars for himself.
42
This article clearly and concisely illustrates Donald Trump's road to riches.
It has come at the expense of creditors and shareholders, the people he conned into believing his promises of "endless winning."
Others articles have exposed his long history of failing to pay his obligations to small contractors, vendors and employees.
The true scale of his aspirations for gaining wealth through duping others became clear in his run for President.
First he announced his vast wealth and said he would self-fund to avoid the conflict other lesser politicians face.
He insulted his way through the Republican field of Presidential contenders in such a loathsome way that some seemed to want just to get out of the unwholesome process.
Once the nominee he promptly renounced his foundational pledge to self-fund and claimed he would raise $1.5 billion from others to run.
Then he announced a $10 trillion tax cut for himself and his potential donors while floating a plan to bring his bankrupting scheme to the country by haircutting - paying less than par - the national debt.
However, this time, he wasn't dealing with unsophisticated Trump U students and local contractors, he was dealing with the wealthiest people in the country.
They knew the disastrous implications of defaulting on the nation's debt.
They weren't so foolish to believe in the promises of a man like Donald.
Funding for his campaign is disastrous.
It looks like you can't fool all the people all the time.
It has come at the expense of creditors and shareholders, the people he conned into believing his promises of "endless winning."
Others articles have exposed his long history of failing to pay his obligations to small contractors, vendors and employees.
The true scale of his aspirations for gaining wealth through duping others became clear in his run for President.
First he announced his vast wealth and said he would self-fund to avoid the conflict other lesser politicians face.
He insulted his way through the Republican field of Presidential contenders in such a loathsome way that some seemed to want just to get out of the unwholesome process.
Once the nominee he promptly renounced his foundational pledge to self-fund and claimed he would raise $1.5 billion from others to run.
Then he announced a $10 trillion tax cut for himself and his potential donors while floating a plan to bring his bankrupting scheme to the country by haircutting - paying less than par - the national debt.
However, this time, he wasn't dealing with unsophisticated Trump U students and local contractors, he was dealing with the wealthiest people in the country.
They knew the disastrous implications of defaulting on the nation's debt.
They weren't so foolish to believe in the promises of a man like Donald.
Funding for his campaign is disastrous.
It looks like you can't fool all the people all the time.
66
Can you tell us what happened to the other casinos in AC? They must be booming, since The Donald had nothing to do with them, right? Right???
2
What the piece is referring to is the questionable financial management of those Trump casinos, not any other casino in Atlantic City.
9
The article indicates that Trump's business underperformed other casinos.
11
In other words, the answer to Jane's question is, "All the casinos in AC failed, but we at the NYT are reporting only on the Trump casinos because that bolsters our anti-Trump narrative.
Oddly, no mention in this article of the much bigger, ongoing Caesars bankruptcy, where the owners (Apollo) were found by an independent, court-appointed investigator, to have looted the company in a series of fraudulent machinations. Despite all his bankruptcies, Trump never did anything like this. Yet no mention of the Caesars / Apollo transactions. Wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that the Apollo people used some of their ill-gotten gains to pay for $225k speeches from HIllary. But of course, no mention of that here in the official newspaper of the Clinton campaign.
Oddly, no mention in this article of the much bigger, ongoing Caesars bankruptcy, where the owners (Apollo) were found by an independent, court-appointed investigator, to have looted the company in a series of fraudulent machinations. Despite all his bankruptcies, Trump never did anything like this. Yet no mention of the Caesars / Apollo transactions. Wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that the Apollo people used some of their ill-gotten gains to pay for $225k speeches from HIllary. But of course, no mention of that here in the official newspaper of the Clinton campaign.
1
Show us your tax records, Donald! Put an end to all this speculation! You could to it easily..or not.
46
Clearly, Mr. Trump is well suited to drive the economy ... into the ground. Of course, since launching Armageddon is likely to be his first task upon taking office -- "WW 3? It's gonna be very, very good, the greatest world war in the history of world wars!" -- then maybe his management of the economy won't be that important in the long run.
30
Trump is a sham who feeds on ignorant greedy people in our celebrity-adoring society.
61
Will Trump supporters still follow him over the cliff? Pity Americans if he drags them with him. Surely he should not become president.
We look forward to his defence of himself in this news of his greedy life of failures and deceit. I wonder what his supporters will say and do now.
We look forward to his defence of himself in this news of his greedy life of failures and deceit. I wonder what his supporters will say and do now.
12
Sadly many of his supporters live in a bubble that is impenetrable to proven facts about Mr. Trump, and when those facts do seep into the bubble, those stating the facts are ridiculed, along with the facts.
6
It would have been so much more helpful if the New York Times and other media outlets had revealed the depth of The Donald's business mismanagement back in the Autumn of 2015 rather than now. Surely these facts were well known by many. Indeed there are very rich Republicans publicly avoiding supporting The Donald because they know how he misrepresents himself and mismanages his businesses. Is it possible that the media didn't want conservatives to know just how deeply flawed a Trump candidacy would be? Could it be that in this omission they were hoping to provide another deeply flaw candidate, Hillary Clinton, with a clear path to victory? Frankly no matter who wins this time around, Americans will lose. And when that happens, they will remember how the media played its role in selecting candidates that are too old, too corrupt and simply not fit to serve.
14
You ascribe to journalists a level of collusion and collaboration and joint planning that is ludicrous. You do the deep Investigative pieces once someone has the nominarion and until a month ago that did not seem like a sure thing. M
4
Articles about Trump's inflated net worth and his business failures have been all over the news since he started running. Apparently you didn't bother to read them, but then again they were drowned out by his antics. Now he's the GOP candidate, and it's time to pay attention.
3
What a weasel. Trump continues to flout the rules by selling his private jet to himself to avoid grounding due to failure to register his plane for $5. I'd like to know how much the FAA fine is and if his pilots were disciplined by the FAA. They are also personally liable for fines for EACH flight in the unregistered aircraft under FAA rules. The tiger does not change his stripes.
17
Skunks have an unchanging stripe too.
4
This article is what Trump supporters should read. Unfortunately, Trump supporters just listen to the spin and reject any comprehensive understanding of who Trump really is. The gist of the article is the little guy got screwed by Trump's megalomania. Trump does not have an inkling of respect or empathy for the working people, and yet these are the people supporting him.
98
The sad Trumpers and Trumpettes think he is really smart, and he has magic that he will share so they can get rich and have some of the glamour. He might shake their hands. They will never realize they are the pawns, just like the penny ante gamblers who come to casinos in busses with box lunches -- his interest in them now is to get their votes. Once elected, his laws and actions will be framed strictly to benefit him, his family, his products and properties, and his future. Jobs for his masses? Not likely.
6
Is this who people believe can "save" the US economy? I think that they are searching for the Captain of the Titanic. He sounds like a Madoff look-a-like!!
66
“The money I took out of there was incredible.”
'The burden of his failures fell on investors and others (small businesses) who had bet on his business acumen.'
'He repeatedly emphasized that what really mattered...was that he had made a lot of money there.'
“He put a number of local contractors and suppliers out of business when he didn’t pay them,” said Steven Perskie. “So when he left Atlantic City, it wasn’t, ‘Sorry to see you go.’ It was, ‘How fast can you get the hell out of here?’”
'Marvin Roffman, a casino analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott, told The Wall Street Journal that the Taj would need to reap $1.3 million a day just to make its interest payments, a sum no casino had ever achieved.
“The market just isn’t there,” Mr. Roffman told The Journal.
Mr. Trump retaliated, demanding that Janney Montgomery Scott fire Mr. Roffman'.....JMS then fired the truthteller Mr. Roffman to appease Trump's megalomania.
“Trump crawled his way to the top on the back of little guys, one of them being my father” said Beth Rosser, who runs Triad today. “He had no regard for thousands of men and women who worked on those projects. He says he’ll make America great again, but his past shows the complete opposite of that.”
“He drove these companies into bankruptcy by his mismanagement, the debt and his pillaging.”
Voting for this megalomaniacal parasite and professional prevaricator is as deep a sign of mental illness as the very mental illness that Donald Trump is suffering from.
'The burden of his failures fell on investors and others (small businesses) who had bet on his business acumen.'
'He repeatedly emphasized that what really mattered...was that he had made a lot of money there.'
“He put a number of local contractors and suppliers out of business when he didn’t pay them,” said Steven Perskie. “So when he left Atlantic City, it wasn’t, ‘Sorry to see you go.’ It was, ‘How fast can you get the hell out of here?’”
'Marvin Roffman, a casino analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott, told The Wall Street Journal that the Taj would need to reap $1.3 million a day just to make its interest payments, a sum no casino had ever achieved.
“The market just isn’t there,” Mr. Roffman told The Journal.
Mr. Trump retaliated, demanding that Janney Montgomery Scott fire Mr. Roffman'.....JMS then fired the truthteller Mr. Roffman to appease Trump's megalomania.
“Trump crawled his way to the top on the back of little guys, one of them being my father” said Beth Rosser, who runs Triad today. “He had no regard for thousands of men and women who worked on those projects. He says he’ll make America great again, but his past shows the complete opposite of that.”
“He drove these companies into bankruptcy by his mismanagement, the debt and his pillaging.”
Voting for this megalomaniacal parasite and professional prevaricator is as deep a sign of mental illness as the very mental illness that Donald Trump is suffering from.
434
The sad thing is that he will garner millions of votes in the fall. Now, it would be interesting to see a study of the cross section of people who indeed chose him. A breakdown by education level would be interesting.
14
If Hillary did the same thing you and the NYT would be praising her savvy business acumen.
3
But it's also a sign of the very uneducated, who aren't going to read this article, who are going to go with image rather than facts. I'm convinced the systematic gutting of education is part of a larger Republican plan (it's happening in most of the states with Republican governors even those that previously excelled in education--Illinois, Wisconsin, Kansas). In this case what they have sown has come back to bite what has become the Republican party with a nominee who shows the subtleties of the parties--racism and fraud--in such overt ways. Let's just make sure it doesn't take down all the rest of us. I still have faith--I think a lot of people who would have voted for the Republican in a traditional election will vote Democratic or not at all. There's still some education grandfathered in.
28
How many days will you run this and will you go back and please refresh our memories on all the shenanigans the Clintons have done over the years. When you do make it front page for days and keep it in the paper for weeks like the article you published about his treatment of women. If Trump would have known there would be casino's virtually everywhere he probably would not have invested in Atlantic city. The state of New Jersey did not help because I understand it is a ghetto once you get off the strip.
2
Rubbish.
I cast one of my first votes after turning 18 in the referendum to bring casinos to Atlantic City - against it.
Las Vegas thrived on casinos for decades because Las Vegas was, literally, the only game in town. If you wanted to gamble legally in the US, that was where you went. Atlantic City never got the promised bonanza, because legalizing casinos there broke the monopoly - it dawned on every other city, 'hey, why not us?'. Vegas has hung on because of its glamorous past. But now there's a casino in every corner - and on every Indian reservation - and our idiot governor wants to glut the market still further by putting them in the Meadowlands. Too many sellers catering to limited demand, especially in a continuing recession.
Now, if in the 1970s I could see that coming, surely a business 'genius' like Trump could have. I expect he did.
As for Atlantic City being a 'ghetto', that was what Trump the 'job creator' and his casinos (and the casinos of every other opportunist) was supposed to fix. We were promised casinos would revitalize the tourist trade and bring customers to the small businesses, but casinos are deliberately set up so that tourists never go outside: they get off the bus, spend all their time and money in the casino, get back on the bus, and leave.
You really don't know much about this issue, do you? But I'm a lifelong NJ resident.
I cast one of my first votes after turning 18 in the referendum to bring casinos to Atlantic City - against it.
Las Vegas thrived on casinos for decades because Las Vegas was, literally, the only game in town. If you wanted to gamble legally in the US, that was where you went. Atlantic City never got the promised bonanza, because legalizing casinos there broke the monopoly - it dawned on every other city, 'hey, why not us?'. Vegas has hung on because of its glamorous past. But now there's a casino in every corner - and on every Indian reservation - and our idiot governor wants to glut the market still further by putting them in the Meadowlands. Too many sellers catering to limited demand, especially in a continuing recession.
Now, if in the 1970s I could see that coming, surely a business 'genius' like Trump could have. I expect he did.
As for Atlantic City being a 'ghetto', that was what Trump the 'job creator' and his casinos (and the casinos of every other opportunist) was supposed to fix. We were promised casinos would revitalize the tourist trade and bring customers to the small businesses, but casinos are deliberately set up so that tourists never go outside: they get off the bus, spend all their time and money in the casino, get back on the bus, and leave.
You really don't know much about this issue, do you? But I'm a lifelong NJ resident.
37
Hm, I don't seem to remember Hillary bilking people out of millions of dollars, which apparently per this article is what Trump did.
48
It's called " The Garden State" for a reason. It's a beautiful state, just avoid parts of Newark and Elizabeth ( no offense).
2
Good piece. Next:
What did you do in the War, Donald?
Show us your tax records, Donald.
If elected, would you put your assets in a Blind Trust?
What did you do in the War, Donald?
Show us your tax records, Donald.
If elected, would you put your assets in a Blind Trust?
219
"What did you do in the war, Donald?"
"I won, since I was never captured. "
"I won, since I was never captured. "
6
Take the name "Trump" out of this article and replace it with the banksters and fraudulent capitalists now running our global casino; drop the references to Trump's particular buildings that failed in Atlantic City and replace them with the planet Earth sucked dry and destroyed by the banksters' greed, and you'd have a better, more thorough story.
Trump is no more nor less than the naked face face of Western Capitalism in all its horrible, plundering, destructive glory.
Why point the finger at him in particular, when he's such an apt representative of the whole, corrupt system?
Stop worrying about bringing him down.
Start hoping that the world he represents will implode upon itself and liberate us for a better future, instead.
Like Trump, Casino Capitalism won't just go away on its own. It will rape, and plunder, until there is nothing left to rape and plunder.
We have to work to make it disappear, as rapidly as possible now, to save ourselves, and to save the planet.
Stop Trump? Forget about it. He's a symptom, not a cause.
Stop Casino Capitalism, there's your real mission, right there.
Trump is no more nor less than the naked face face of Western Capitalism in all its horrible, plundering, destructive glory.
Why point the finger at him in particular, when he's such an apt representative of the whole, corrupt system?
Stop worrying about bringing him down.
Start hoping that the world he represents will implode upon itself and liberate us for a better future, instead.
Like Trump, Casino Capitalism won't just go away on its own. It will rape, and plunder, until there is nothing left to rape and plunder.
We have to work to make it disappear, as rapidly as possible now, to save ourselves, and to save the planet.
Stop Trump? Forget about it. He's a symptom, not a cause.
Stop Casino Capitalism, there's your real mission, right there.
78
Because he is running for president?
15
This whole comment presents a false choice. We can focus on stopping Trump now while also allowing his rise to power be a wake up call to the systemic problems that made him (to some) look like some kind of hero.
11
Steven: With due regard, while your overall comment is true, Trump matters precisely because he is the GOP nominee for POTUS. Stopping "Casino Capitalism" is well and good - a worthy mission - but the fact remains that the GOP has a nominee who is a liar, a cheat, a swindler, a bombastic, ugly demagogue whose ignorance is stunning, and a man whose word is worth about as much as a $3 bill.
15
Trump is the perfect G.O.P. candidate: taking advantage of suckers, blaming his failures on others and completely morally bankrupt.
363
Paul Ryan supposedly thinks he can trust Donald Trump. Really? The banks who know how Trump operates, don't trust him and won't work with him
Working people think Trump will work for them - how many working people and small businesses were hurt by Trump's multiple bankruptcies.
What are they thinking? I don't get it.
Working people think Trump will work for them - how many working people and small businesses were hurt by Trump's multiple bankruptcies.
What are they thinking? I don't get it.
731
Of course Paul Ryan can control Donald Trump, because Trump doesn't care about anything besides money and seeing his name in lights. You don't think Trump is going to work at being president do you? Someone will hand him lists -- like they did of potential Supreme Court nominees, laws they want signed, etc. -- he'll just rubber stamp them and get back to the work of staying rich and famous.
9
Yes, Frank, and Carl Ichan, Wall Street's original hostile takeover pirate now supports DT for president. "As in previous cases, others warned that Mr. Trump’s promises should not be trusted. This time it was Carl C. Icahn, the activist investor who had a major stake in the company." I'm sure he'd love to have the greediest fox in charge of the hen house.
7
What's Deutsche Bank holding for him, aside from one hell of a CDS craps table? Is he gonna go East into Jason's Fleecer's territory?
I wonder if this is his philosophy in marriage contracts, too?
I wonder if this is his philosophy in marriage contracts, too?
3
Baily's
Caesar's
Reosrts
Tropicana
All these major casino's filed for bankruptcy also and Trump followed the laws when doing so using a legitimate business tool.
Caesar's
Reosrts
Tropicana
All these major casino's filed for bankruptcy also and Trump followed the laws when doing so using a legitimate business tool.
3
Read the article more carefully. What Trump did may have been technically legal. But it wasn't ethical, and by no means was it any good for the city he promised to revitalize. The only one who benefited from Trump's trumpery was - Trump.
39
Don,
Those companies all made money before things went bad. Donnie was a dud. He couldn't even make "honest" money when the only casino competition was in Las Vegas. He's a huckster, pal.
Those companies all made money before things went bad. Donnie was a dud. He couldn't even make "honest" money when the only casino competition was in Las Vegas. He's a huckster, pal.
35
What's *legal* and *legitimate* is the scandal.
See Steve's penetrating comment above, especially this
"Trump is no more nor less than the naked face face of Western Capitalism in all its horrible, plundering, destructive glory.
Why point the finger at him in particular, when he's such an apt representative of the whole, corrupt system?"
See Steve's penetrating comment above, especially this
"Trump is no more nor less than the naked face face of Western Capitalism in all its horrible, plundering, destructive glory.
Why point the finger at him in particular, when he's such an apt representative of the whole, corrupt system?"
6
And yet his misled fans keep talking about how great his business acumen is. No doubt they'll find excuses for all this reporting, even when Trump himself apparently can't.
155
They'll just say it's a bunch of lies from the "lamestream media." As Trump himself put it months ago, when he still had some sense of irony about all this, he could shoot someone in Times Square and his fans wouldn't mind.
18
Now, why should any sane person want to trust Trumpo as president?