Trophy Hunting Trump Sons Behind Nonprofit Foundation Selling Access To Their Father – For Rich Game Hunters Only
The trophy hunting Trump sons are behind a nonprofit that’s selling access to their father over inauguration weekend. Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr. are big game hunters who’ve come under fire for taking down majestic species in all corners of the world. Images of the Trump sons have surfaced online for years of them with animals they shot dead in the wild.
The Hill reports that Eric and Donald Trump, Jr. are behind a nonprofit fundraiser for conservation efforts called The Opening Day Foundation. According to the Center for Public Integrity, the foundation was created on December 14. It offers access to Donald Trump in exchange for million dollar donations, as well as $500,000 and $250,000 donations. Packages begin at $25,000.
Opening Day is described in the brochure as an opportunity for donors to “play a significant role” in commemorating Donald Trump’s inauguration by “celebrating the great American tradition of outdoor sporting, shooting, fishing and conservation.”
Trump Sons Auctioning Off First Family Hunting Trip for $500,000: Report https://t.co/3FYJS8RQ7q #NotNormal pic.twitter.com/FUSsSB5Muu
— Common Dreams (@commondreams) December 19, 2016
A copy of the brochure had all the details behind what the Trump sons are offering in exchange for donations that start at $25,000.
Starting with the largest donation of $1 million, a donor can get the Bald Eagle package, which grants 16 people access to Donald Trump at a “private reception and photo session” with the inaugurated president, as well as four autographed guitars by performers at the event, and an Elite Hunters Package for four that includes a “multi-day hunting and/or fishing excursion” with the Trump sons. Other highlights include VIP tickets, early event entry, and extra admission tickets.
Packages are scaled down with donations of less than $1 million. The Grizzly Bear package for $500,000 is a slightly smaller version of the Bald Eagle package and smaller packages whittle down to $25,000, which is the Wild Turkey. There’s no access to Donald Trump or his sons with that donation.
Attire for the fundraiser is “camouflage and cufflinks… jeans, boots and hats are welcome.”
Nonprofits of this nature aren’t required by law to disclose their donors, which enables sponsors to write enormous checks for access to the president while remaining anonymous if they want to. This is the opposite requirement of political committees.
As the report notes, names of the charities or details about how much of the net proceeds will be calculated from the Opening Day Foundation weren’t revealed. Walter Kinzie, CEO of a Texas event management company, confirmed that the Trump sons’ nonprofit Opening Day Foundation has hired his company to manage the event.
You can go hunting with Trump’s two sons for $1 million https://t.co/oxQkEFymr5 pic.twitter.com/VBvqF0g4AS
— ThinkProgress (@thinkprogress) December 19, 2016
As for who’s managing the Opening Day Foundation, there are four directors: Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Dallas investor Gentry Beach, and Tom Hicks Jr., son of a Dallas billionaire.
Time reports that Kinzie, the CEO of Encore Live, said details originally posted by TMZ about the Opening Day Foundation brochure weren’t completely accurate. He didn’t specify what the website got wrong, but says participation of the Trump sons or any other family members isn’t confirmed.
Arizona developer, Mike Ingram, is one of the co-chairman listed for the foundation and says Beach approached him to help.
“I’m honored to do it,” Ingram said. “It’s not going to be a black tie event. It’s going to be boots and jeans and camouflage and it’s going to raise a lot of money to go to sportsman’s charities.”
The Trump sons promoting this kind of charity blurs the lines of legal ethics, according to Larry Noble, the general counsel for the Campaign Legal Center. It’s described as a “nonpartisan campaign reform organization.” He states that the Trumps using a “brand new organization to raise $1 million contributions for a vague goal of giving money to conservation charities” is “problematic on so many levels.” He says it’s interpreted as a “way of basically just selling influence and selling the ability to meet with the president.”
[Featured Image by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images]
