What a coincidence according to Bloomberg’s Josh Rogin, a journalist who has been been one of the more outspoken ones in demanding intervention against Assad, that a billionaire businessman with a global hotel chain would have ever wished to explore business opportunities in Russia.
Trump’s Long Romance With Russia:
In a 1997 New Yorker profile, Trump talked about his trips to Russia to explore having the Trump Organization take part in skyscraper and hotel development projects in Moscow, including the reconstruction of the Moskva and Rossiya Hotels.
“That’s a very big project; I think it’s the largest hotel in the world,” Trump told Russian politician Alexander Ivanovich Lebed at the time. “And we’re working with the local government, the mayor of Moscow and the mayor’s people. So far, they’ve been very responsive.”
Why practically nobody else was doing that after the end of Communism.
Negotiations over the two hotels eventually fizzled, but in 2008 the Trump Organization was at it again, announcing it planned to build elite residences and hotels in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sochi, and license the Trump brand for other projects. Donald Trump Jr., the candidate’s son, made the announcement in a speech at the 2008 “Real Estate in Russia” conference.
You know who else’s son was looking after the family’s business interests in Putin’s Russia?
Mitt Romney’s. From the NYT in 2012:
But while in Moscow, Mr. Romney told a Russian known to be able to deliver messages to Mr. Putin that despite the campaign rhetoric, his father wants good relations if he becomes president, according to a person informed about the conversation.
Matt Romney traveled to Moscow with Gary B. Sabin, the chairman and chief executive of Excel Trust, which is based in San Diego. Greg Davis, the firm’s vice president of capital markets and communications, said the trip was unrelated to the campaign.
“It is a harmless trip,” Mr. Davis said. “It was a trip that has been planned for some time. Any travel they’ve done on behalf of Excel is strictly on the private side. It would have nothing to do with anything governmental.”
Excel is a real estate investment trust that focuses on shopping centers largely in states from California to Florida and up to Pennsylvania. By distributing 90 percent or more of its taxable income in the form of a dividend, it helps investors avoid double taxation under the law, Mr. Davis said.
But I don’t recall any of the neocons to say nothing of Rogin having to say anything about that. Isn’t that a curious.
Or maybe not. In yet another striking coincidence, on the website of the Emergency Committee for Israel, Josh Rogin is listed seventh on the “leaderboard” of journalists who have earned the most “political capital” (howsoever they measure that).
I suppose some romances are more kosher than others.
I had a business friend of mine build in Russia.
Half the budget was for graft.
half….
Which is why a lot of building projects fizzle in Russia.
This is very interesting. But I wish there was a little speculation about the motivation behind all of this. Roughly I would speculate that it is Trump himself which causes fear. He doesn’t seem to be the kind of person who can be controlled or corrected in the kosher direction. This scares little men like Josh Rogin but not Trump’s fellow business titans like Carl Icahn, Steve Wynn, Elie Hirschfeld, Andy Beal, et al., who have endorsed Trump.
Trump likes Russia because he wants to do business in Russia.
Rogan and his kinsman hate Russia because they want to own businesses in Russia.
Cool story bro. I totes buy it. Now I hate Russia. Do you love me now?
sigh….
When I was a builder I employed an architectural firm who built one small commercial building in Moscow. Half the budget, was for bribes. True story
I like this version even better. Is there a third version?
keep putting words in my mouth and you can as many versions as you like
When did that happen?
What do you think about Putin’s reaction to Trump ad?
https://twitter.com/_chrisnonymous/status/710853636461473792
It was a long time ago, almost two decades. Maybe things are different today, I don’t know. An architect I worked closely with and I trust told me what a joke it was when his firm built a commercial building in Moscow. Half the budget went to bribes. I had a pretty successful construction business in the Chicago metro area and let me tell you it is one dirty business here as well. Maybe not Russia bad but it is pretty ridiculous. Three of our last six Illinois governors went to jail. If you wanted to get a building permit in Chicago proper you had better hire specific architectural firms that were “fixers” otherwise your building permit never got approved.
You’re funny. Each time I quoted you, or asked you about your story, you changed your story. Wait—let me double check that.
version 1.
I had a business friend of mine build in Russia.
Half the budget was for graft.
half….
Which is why a lot of building projects fizzle in Russia.
version 2.
sigh….
When I was a builder I employed an architectural firm who built one small commercial building in Moscow. Half the budget, was for bribes. True story
Now, wait a minute here. I’m putting words in your mouth? I’m reading your words off of one page. Are you tall enough for this ride?
Holy smokes, I spoke too soon.
Version 3.0.
An architect I worked closely with and I trust told me what a joke it was when his firm built a commercial building in Moscow. Half the budget went to bribes.
Trolls don’t need to be consistent–just persistent.