Kushner pitches his family interests to Chinese investors with press locked out

evil wasabi

The Jongmaster
20 Year Member
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...u-s-visas-chinese-investors-article-1.3144365

Jared Kushner's sister offered wealthy investors in China a chance to score American visas if they invest in one of the family's properties a deal that watchdogs saw as blatant bribery.

Nicole Kushner Meyer took the stage at a Ritz-Carlton hotel in Beijing on Saturday with a pitch to a room with about 100 investors: They could get green cards if they poured money into One Journal Square, a $150 million luxury Jersey City development from her family.

The quid-pro-quo would come through the EB-5 program, which grants visas to foreigners who invest at least $500,000 in American development projects. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have often criticized the program as a golden road to citizenship for the wealthy.

According to multiple media reports from the event, parts of Meyer's talk touted her ties to President Trump through her brother, who is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka.

One slide in her sales pitch pictured Trump and identified him as a key decision maker for the EB-5 program. She also made sure to mention her brother's role as a senior advisor to Trump.

Meyer told the crowd the Jersey City project means a lot to me and my entire family, according to the New York Times. A brochure for the event told those in attendance: invest $500,000 and immigrate to the United States.

Another speaker at the event told the crowd they should invest early to make sure they invest under the old rules - hinting that the visa program might soon change.

Reporters from the Times and the Washington Post attended the publicly advertised talk, but were kicked out by organizers who claimed it was a "private event."￾/b]

Kushner still holds some of his stakes in Kushner Companies even after accepting a White House role that has him involved in foreign affairs. Trump, too, has retained his leadership of his Trump Organization and allows his adult sons to run its daily operations.

Ethics watchdogs have warned since Trump took office that he and his family are courting conflict with the emoluments clause, a provision in the Constitution that bans federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign leaders. A violation of the clause which would require proof of a deliberate bribe is a potentially impeachable offense.

There have been numerous incidents in Trump's tenure that appeared to pose such conflicts some involving China.

The Chinese government in March swiftly approved nearly 40 trademarks for Trump. One month later, the government granted trademarks to Ivanka Trump as she and Kushner dined with Chinese President Xi Jinping at President Trump's Maro-A-Lago estate.

Watchdogs once again warned that the family might be crossing the line with the offer in Beijing.

Noah Bookbinder, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, called the sales pitch highly problematic and said Kushner should recuse himself from the EB-5 program.

A former White House ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush called the event incredibly stupid and highly inappropriate.

"They clearly imply that the Kushners are going to make sure you get your visa", Richard Painter told the Post.

"Of course they're going to want to invest."

Kushner's reps did not comment about the event.

The deal would contradict two of Trump's central campaign promises: Curbing immigration and cracking down on countries such as China that he feels have not been fair economic partners to the United States.

Trump has taken multiple moves in office to limit immigration to the United States, and as a candidate he railed against the Chinese government and said America was letting China "rape" it with trade deals.


Basically, the US has a program called the EB5 visa, which allows wealthy investors to pay as little as $500,000 in exchange for a visa.

These investments are supposed to be in areas that need development, but in the current state of the US, with Trump as "a key decision maker in the EB5 program" (Kushner's sister's words, not mine), we may see this program allowed for the real estate development in major cities that don't need it. And moreover, that money isn't going to the US people, but to the Kushner's family business. Every dime.
 

StevenK

ng.com SFII tournament winner 2002-2023
10 Year Member
If I had the cash I'd be tempted. I know that's not the point of this thread, but just saying.
 

norton9478

So Many Posts
No Time
For Games.
20 Year Member
I remember a simpler time when the husband of the Secretary of State running a charity was the biggest scandal on earth.
 

evil wasabi

The Jongmaster
20 Year Member
I remember a simpler time when the husband of the Secretary of State running a charity was the biggest scandal on earth.

That was bad too.

But yeah, things were simpler back then. Now we see Trump spending all the tax payer money on golf outings at his course, secret service at his building in NYC, and for the security detail for his sons Jersey Shore-esque safari trips, while at the same time, they use government programs to solicit what were once FCPA violations.
 

evil wasabi

The Jongmaster
20 Year Member
Maybe the Chinese government only wants to control who from China is able to use the EB5 program.

And that everyone in the room with Ms. Kushner was vetted and approved.
 

LoneSage

A Broken Man
20 Year Member
Maybe the Chinese government only wants to control who from China is able to use the EB5 program.

And that everyone in the room with Ms. Kushner was vetted and approved.

There has been a massive exodus of rich (read: able to buy million dollar homes in Canada and elsewhere that were only worth $200k just a decade ago - in cash, in full, because that's how they roll) Chinese within the past 10 years.

With the new chairman coming in four years ago, there was a crackdown on CCP officials sending their kids off to uni abroad (read: USA, UK - Harvard, Oxford, etc.). Four years later and it still happens even with all these incredible rules. Let it be noted that the chairman's daughter - he himself has gone on record about 'extolling Chinese virtues and repelling foreign hostile forces' - attends uni abroad. Actually she's probably graduated since then, who knows.

In 2013, with the new administration, a lot of govt workers were confused and were like, "Uhhhhh so do I really follow the rules or can I take a bribe or...?". Since then it's become clear that bribes are still a-OK but getting a visa with the American embassy is difficult.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, yes, without a doubt the Chinese govt has put up a fight with the rich Chinese taking flight abroad. But it hasn't done much.

IMHO $500k is fucking retarded to get just a visa to come to America, not just a green card. It is notoriously difficult for foreigners to get a green card in China, and only the mega rich can. At the same time I do not doubt the Chinese who have the money will do so.

I am just speechless at all the corruption America's president is getting away with. Meanwhile the people making 30-40k a year who voted Trump in still think he's fighting for the little man.
 
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