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Eli Kantor is a labor, employment and immigration law attorney. He has been practicing labor, employment and immigration law for more than 36 years. He has been featured in articles about labor, employment and immigration law in the L.A. Times, Business Week.com and Daily Variety. He is a regular columnist for the Daily Journal. Telephone (310)274-8216; eli@elikantorlaw.com. For more information, visit beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com and and beverlyhillsemploymentlaw.com

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Thursday, July 02, 2015

New York City reviewing business relationships with Trump

Newsday
By Matthew Chayes and Emily Ngo
July 1, 2015

Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration said Wednesday it is reviewing the city's business relationships with billionaire developer Donald Trump, who is facing a backlash for his presidential campaign comments about rapists and drug dealers among Mexican immigrants.

Karen Hinton, a spokeswoman for the mayor, said the review was underway but could not immediately provide details.

In April, a $260 million Trump golf course opened on the site of a former city dump in the Bronx under a deal with the city's Department of Parks and Recreation. The Trump Organization was chosen in 2010 to operate the public course -- named the Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point -- by then Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration.

The Trump Organization also manages two skating rinks and a carousel in Central Park, according to its website.

Told of the de Blasio administration's review, Trump executive vice president Ronald C. Lieberman said, "that's news to us."

He called the company's relationship with New York City "an incredible, incredible success story" and "a big win for the city."

But he noted that "we have binding contracts" governing the Trump business with the city.

Macy's Wednesday became the latest business to announce it was breaking its ties with Trump. The retailer plans to phase out its Trump menswear collection, which has been sold at the chain since 2004, saying it has "no tolerance for discrimination in any form."

Coinciding with the Macy's announcement, Trump issued a statement saying he had decided to terminate his relationship with the department store chain "because of the pressure being put on them by outside sources."

Trump added that he was not happy that the products under his name were being manufactured in China.

Trump filed a $500 million lawsuit on Tuesday against Univision over the Spanish-language TV network's decision to end its contract to broadcast the Miss USA pageant, which is co-owned by Trump. NBC also cut its ties with Trump, host of its long-running "The Apprentice" series.

Companies have been cutting ties with Trump since June 16, when he announced he was seeking the Republican presidential nomination for president.

"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best," Trump said then. "They're sending people that have lots of problems ... They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."

Lieberman said his boss's remarks were taken out of context -- "he's referring to illegal immigrants," Lieberman said -- and that Trump employs thousands of Mexican workers.

"I know first hand, Donald loves Mexicans," Lieberman said. "We have them at all our properties all over the place."

At an unrelated news conference Wednesday, several elected officials from the Bronx condemned Trump's remarks and praised those disassociating from him.

Assemb. Marcos Crespo said the Trump Organization deserved credit for getting the golf course done after previous efforts failed. "As a project, that golf course had been delayed and overbudget for many, many years, and it was finally through the involvement of his business venture that it was finalized," Crespo said.

But Crespo added that if there was a way to operate the course without Trump, "yes, let's explore it."

Councilman Andy Cohen said, "Despite his successes and maybe his contributions, I'm not sure that there's any place for a partnership in New York City government and Donald Trump anymore." Cohen added, "I cannot say that I'm particularly proud that his name is on that golf course."


-- State Sen. Gustavo Rivera said, "I commend Univision. I commend NBC. I commend Macy's. Who's next? I think all ties with this person should be severed."

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