Trump Considering Offer From GOP Mega Donor To Pay For Jerusalem Embassy

[DonViejo]

Source: Associated Press




By JOSH LEDERMAN | February 23, 2018 6:50 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is considering an offer from Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson to pay for at least part of a new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, four U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

Lawyers at the State Department are looking into the legality of accepting private donations to cover some or all of the embassy costs, the administration officials said. The discussions are occurring as the new embassy clears its final bureaucratic hurdles. On Thursday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ended weeks of delay by signing off on a security plan for moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city, according to the officials, who weren’t authorized to discuss the issue publicly and demanded anonymity.

In one possible scenario, the administration would solicit contributions not only from Adelson but potentially from other donors in the evangelical and American Jewish communities, too. One official said Adelson, a Las Vegas casino magnate and staunch supporter of Israel, had offered to pay the difference between the total cost — expected to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars — and what the administration is able to raise.

Under any circumstance, letting private citizens cover the costs of an official government building would mark a significant departure from historical U.S. practice. In the Jerusalem case, it would add yet another layer of controversy to Trump’s politically charged decision to move the embassy, given Adelson’s longstanding affiliation with right-wing Israeli politics.


Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-considering-offer-adelson-fund-jerusalem-embassy

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. The entire USA is for sale.

Sickening.

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. They should include a mausoleum, because

Adelson is way past his expiration date.

[global1]

2. Adelson Will Probably Want To Put A Casino In The Embassy To Recoup....

his money.

Just like we name sports stadiums around the country for corporations - are we going to start naming embassy's? Adelson Embassy of Jerusalem

[bronxiteforever]

6. +1

[Yonnie3]

3. What are they going to call the embassy?

Church of the Holy Dollar? Influence Marketplace?

It may be legal, but diplomatically it is idiotic.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Wow, how much worse can it get? On the other hand we can someday

have the US embassy in Tel Aviv and Adelson can keep his private one in Jerusalem. Wonder if one can deduct a full embassy from federal taxes.

[genxlib]

7. Cut out the middle man

Why buy politicians to implement policies for you when you can just buy the policies directly.

This is one of the worst ideas I have ever heard. Which probably should have been obvious as soon as I read "Trump considering..."

[DBoon]

11. someone could build an online market like eBay to sell policies to the highest bidder

That way, some wealthy Silicon Valley libertarian could get a cut

Voting will go the way of taxicabs and neighborhood book stores

[jpak]

8. Is this even legal?

[karynnj]

9. I thought that they were going to us the consulate in West Jerusalem as the embassy

making the embassy in Tel Aviv a consulate. It would seem that doing that would entail mostly changing two signs and addresses on US literature.

[Weed Man]

10. Ok, let's call it the Sheldon Adelson Prison Compound.. 5x5 boxes and only Republicans can stay in i

No light, tiny boxes, and life in prison.

When is that Adelson moron going to be moving to Israel and pass away there?

[woundedkarma]

12. Megadonor? No doubt, it's Putin. n/t