CONYERS: Judiciary Democrats Press Ivanka Trump Brand About Conflicts Of Interest

After Vague Response to Previous Inquiry, Dems Want Real Answers

Washington, D.C. – After receiving a vague response to a previous inquiry, below, House Judiciary Committee Democrats today pressed Ivanka Trump Operations, below, for answers on their business dealings with foreign countries and Ivanka Trump’s involvement with the company. 

On May 3, 2017, every Democratic member of the House Judiciary Committee sent letters to White House Counsel Donald McGahn and to Abigail Klem, president of Ivanka Trump Operations LLC, seeking information about potential conflicts of interest.  The Committee received a response from Mrs. Klem on May 17.  Describing this response as “somewhat incomplete,” today the members wrote again, below, to Mrs. Klem to request additional information.

These letters were prompted by Ms. Trump’s meetings with leaders from China and Japan and the swift, subsequent approval of valuable trademarks for her company by those foreign governments. 

Federal law prohibits the participation of any federal employee in any “decision, approval, disapproval, the rendering of advice, . . . or other particular matter” that will affect his or her own financial interests.  Although Ivanka Trump resigned from her management role with IT Operations LLC before joining the White House as an advisor to her father, she still stands to benefit financially from the expansion of her brand overseas.  Recent reporting suggests that Ms. Trump may have participated in several official meetings with representatives from countries in which her brand seeks to do business.

Today’s letter was signed by every Democratic member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, including: Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Karen Bass (D-CA), Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), David Cicilline (D-RI), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Brad Schneider (D-IL). 

The May 3^rd letters to the WH Counsel and IT Operations are available here.

The May 17^th letter from IT Operations is, below.

Judiciary Democrats Press Ivanka Trump Brand (IT Operations, LLC) About Conflicts Of Interest 6.12.2017 by Beverly Tran on Scribd

Ivanka Trump Brand (IT Operations, LLC) Response Letter To U.S. House Judiciary Ranking Member Conyers 05.1... by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr. for the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law Hearing on “International Antitrust Enforcement: China and Beyond”

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

Today’s hearing promises to be not only informative, but timely given the various issues presented by international antitrust enforcement, particularly with respect to China’s enforcement of its Anti-Monopoly Law. 

In just the last two days, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew was in China for the latest round of talks in the ongoing U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. 

It was through this very mechanism that concerns about China’s antitrust enforcement practices had been raised previously.

Given the increasingly interconnected economic relationships among nations – and in particular between the United States and China – it is crucial that we educate ourselves about foreign antitrust regimes and their impact on American businesses and our economy as a whole.

As we hear from our witnesses, I would like them to address several questions.

To begin with, what impact will China’s alleged discriminatory enforcement practices have on American jobs?

The potential for hurting American jobs governs how I view this matter as well as many other issues concerning the global economy and trade.

To the extent that Chinese antitrust enforcement actions unfairly advantage Chinese firms over American ones – and to the extent that such unfair competition results in American companies going out of business and American workers losing their jobs – I would be deeply concerned.

For instance, discriminatory enforcement may allow Chinese firms to collude with each other and with the Chinese government to sell products below cost and drive American competitors out of business, costing American jobs.

In addition, what are the reasons behind China’s alleged discriminatory enforcement of its Anti-Monopoly Law?

Of course, the Anti-Monopoly Law explicitly includes policy goals such as the protection of “industries controlled by the state-owned economy and related to the lifeblood of the national economy and to national security . . .” and “to facilitate technology advancement.”
           
Other factors shaping enforcement may include the fact that the Anti-Monopoly Law has only been in effect less than 8 years and has yet to fully develop.  In addition, the enforcement agencies may lack sufficient staffing, resources, and experience.

I would like know to what degree each of these factors shapes Chinese enforcement behavior.

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Conyers Calls on U.S. Government to Contest Unfair Chinese Duties on American Cars

For Immediate Release

Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers Calls on U.S. Government to Contest Unfair Chinese Duties on American Cars     

(WASHINGTON) –  Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI 14.) joined Representative Gary Peters (D-MI 09) and 25 of their House colleagues in a letter urging President Obama to work with the United States Trade Representative to initiate a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute contesting the recent trade duties China imposed on American vehicles.  This latest set of  tariffs levied on American cars, which are in addition to existing taxes and duties that already could add up to 25% more to the cost of an American vehicle, represents the Chinese government’s continuing engagement in unfair trade practices in regards to American imports.

“Despite being a member of the WTO for over 10 years, China has consistently employed unfair trade practices at the expense of American manufacturers,” said Conyers.  “The U.S has every right to press its case before the WTO.  China is obligated to allow American car manufacturers and autoworkers to compete in their markets on a level playing field.”  

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China Auto Duties Letter To White House, February 13, 2012

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