Mitt Romney's Ethics Problem: Marriott Edition

[Amerigo Vespucci]

http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/mitt-romneys-ethics-problem-marriott-editio



June 07, 2012 05:00 PM
Mitt Romney's Ethics Problem: Marriott Edition
By karoli

The money goes in a circle among these guys. Mitt Romney, former board member of Marriott International, recipient of gigantic donations to SuperPACs by JW Marriott, Jr, spends megabucks for his campaign to snuggle down for the night at Marriott hotels, nationwide.

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Romney's campaign has spent more than $475,000 in travel expenses at Marriott-owned hotels during the 2012 campaign -- more than three-and-a-half times what he's spent at second-place Hilton Hotels and 39 percent of the campaign's total lodging expenditures, according to Center for Responsive Politics research.

The money, however, doesn't flow one way: current Marriott International Chairman J.W. Marriott, Jr. and brother Richard Marriott -- the chairman of a Marriott International offshoot, Host Hotels and Resorts -- each have maxed out in contributions to Romney's campaign. More significanly, they've donated $1,000,000 apiece to pro-Romney Super PAC Restore Our Future.

It goes a little bit farther even than that. Romney's blind trust that really isn't a blind trust holds between $100,000-250,000 of JW Marriott Co common stock (see page 7). So here's a perfect example of a conflict. Donors give to Romney's campaign, including J.W. Marriott, Jr. A big chunk of that money is spent at Marriott hotels. Romney also owns Marriott stock. There is a conflict of interest there.

[siligut]

1. And Rmoney made a point of saying that he saves money by staying at less expensive hotels

I can't remember which program it was, but the discussion was staged as an "off camera" chit-chat. Of course it was a total set-up, but the interviewer mentioned that Rmoney stayed at less expensive hotels. This opened it up for Rmoney to act frugal and dedicated to a cause and state that he used campaign donations for campaigning, not for living-it-up.

BTW, Marriott hotels are Mormon owned.

[EC]

2. Isn't this pretty much like the home sale money schemes

they used to use (until so many got caught)for hiding large contributions? Many auto dealers (Darrel Issa types) had some sort of scam too, just don't remember what it was.

[KurtNYC]

3. Mitt Willard Romney is named after J. Willard Marriott Sr.