President Trump’s hotel in D.C. risks losing its liquor license after local alcohol regulators set the stage this week to consider whether he satisfies their “good character” requirement.
The district’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board ruled Wednesday against dismissing a complaint lodged against the Trump International Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue.
A group of least five D.C. residents and property owners have protested that renewing the hotel’s liquor license would run afoul of city statute, the regulators wrote in their ruling.
“The Group challenges the renewal of the Applicant’s hotel license based on their allegation that President Donald J. Trump, an individual owner of at least one of the entities listed on the hotel’s liquor license, lacks ‘good character’ in accordance with D.C. Official Code§ 25-301(a), which is a requirement to qualify for renewal of the license,” they wrote.
Representatives for the hotel argued that the petition should be pitched, but the regulators ruled otherwise and refused to reject the complaints.
“In order to renew a Retailer’s Class CH License, the Applicant is obligated to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board that the ownership ‘is of good character and generally fit for the responsibilities of licensure,” said their order.