If you have ever binge watched the political drama “House of Cards,” you know all about that icky, skin crawling sensation that comes with exposure to the immoral workings of Washington, D.C.
The creator of the American version of the show, Beau Willimon, understands very well that his Netflix show is supposed to exaggerate the seedy maneuvers that go on behind the scenes in the nation’s capital. Knowing how to portray those maneuvers means that Willimon recognizes conflicts of interest and self-serving business arrangements.
That’s why the writer and producer has created a script for his Twitter followers to use so they can urge President-elect Trump to sell his big D.C. hotel as soon as possible.
We already know that some countries are booking events at the Hotel with the specific purpose of pleasing and enriching Mr. Trump. As ambassadors, business leaders and other power brokers seek to gain the ear of the President, it’s easy to see how tempted they’d all be to book rooms at the Trump Hotel.
Embassy of Kuwait books 600-person event at Trump hotel for Feb., deepening conflicts between Trump biz, presidency https://t.co/Jz9SJchELO
— Jonathan O'Connell (@OConnellPostbiz) December 20, 2016
Don Jr calls Interior Sec'y about Park Service lease to Trump Hotel in DC. Park Service answers to Interior Sec'y, whom Don Jr selected. ???
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) December 15, 2016
Beau Willimot thinks this is all pretty sketchy and unethical, to say the least. The future President of the U.S. renting out rooms to diplomats is just beyond wrong. Willimot thought up a way for us to respond to this misuse of power.
https://twitter.com/BeauWillimon/status/811612443692691456
The attached google document provides the rationale for contacting the hotel. It says, in part:
“The Trump Hotel in Washington D.C. is only blocks away from the White House. If Trump does not sell the hotel he will profit from diplomats, lobbyists and special interests seeking to curry favor with his administration, or who hope avoid retaliation for giving business to his competitors. The hotel’s property is also leased to Trump by the federal government, creating a second layer of conflict.”
The document goes on to provide the number for the hotel (202.695.1100), which is listed in the phone book, meaning it’s fine to share it in public.
The script encourages callers to state their discomfort with booking a room at the Hotel, given the ethical questions. It reminds callers to be persistent in asking,
“Can you please tell me when the Trump Organization plans to sell the hotel?”
The script also points out the people on the other end of the phone line are just doing their jobs, and aren’t at fault, so callers are asked to stay polite and appropriate.
Willimon hopes that by flooding the hotel desk with these calls, the message will eventually be passed on to the boss. The idea is to combine the power of the public with that of the media to apply pressure to Trump.
I will be calling for sure.
Featured image by Elvert Barnes via Flickr. (CC BY-SA 2.0)
