Rolling Snake Eyes: Trump's First Casino Partners Had Alleged Mob Ties

[Playinghardball]

Source: Huffington Post

NEW YORK -- For years, Donald Trump has boasted that his casinos are free of the taint of organized crime, using this claim to distinguish his gambling ventures from competitors. But Trump's casinos turn out not to be so squeaky clean.

One of his prime Atlantic City developments, the Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino, relied on a partnership with two investors reputedly linked to the mob, prompting New Jersey regulators to force Trump to buy them out. And he employed a known Asian organized crime figure as a vice president at his Taj Mahal casino for five years, defending the executive against regulators’ attempts to take away his license, according to law enforcement officials.

As the famously brash developer now considers a run for the presidency, this history could complicate his efforts to project an image of a trusted power in the business world. It exposes a seamy underside to Trump's rise to fortune -- one that involved intimate links to unsavory characters.

As voters learn more about such links between Trump and reputed organized crime figures, "it will get more difficult for him," says John Geer, a political science professor at Vanderbilt University. "Under that withering examination, his past associations and troubles will all emerge and could make it tough in a Republican primary."


More at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/28/donald-trump-rolling-snake-eyes_n_854177.html

[Atman]

1. Casino owners with mob ties? I'M SHOCKED!

:wow:

[gratuitous]

2. This is why T Rump will not run

As soon as he has to file a financial disclosure form, he'll tearfully and reluctantly announce that golly gee whiz, he would have been the bestest president ever, but wouldn't you just know it, he has to wash his hair next year, and he couldn't possibly find time to run for president, too. Until then, he'll continue to get stroked from here to St. Swithins' Day by all the popular media outlets who for some reason can't get enough of the short-fingered vulgarian and his idiot wind.

[Atman]

5. Bingo.

This man IS a genius, I don't doubt it. Look how he is playing the entire country when he has absolutely no intention of running for President. BRILLIANT!

[nc4bo]

6. T Rump - nice one.

I'm actually surprised more manure hasn't been stinking up the place since jackass extraordinaire began his make believe political campaign shenanigans.

I keep finding myself hoping he gets more serious. It will be a sideshow of scandal for sure.

[Bombero1956]

3. Trump is an unsavory character himself

that he has ties to known organized crime figures just shows what a snake oil salesman he really is. Mr. Trump will rue the day he fucked with President Obama. If he was looking to get attention, then I hope that he gets the full attention of the media and law enforcement. I someday want to see Donald Trump broke without a nickle to his name.

[BanzaiBonnie]

8. Absolutely

Anyone who thinks he got to where he is without "favors, giving and receiving," is deluded. He is no unright citizen. And plenty of contractors in New York would tell of his business rpactices of screwing the little guys.

He is a thief.

[quinnox]

4. This just gives him more mystique

Americans love the mob stuff. "Oh cool, Trump was hanging with people really like those guys in the Sopranos? Awesome!"

[EmmettKelly]

9. You're probably right

Whispers of "mob" connections didn't seem to stick to the JFK/Sinatra alliance.

[Amonester]

7. Woopsie Doopsie! Look right there, swinging Indies....

How insHannity will spin that one?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

10. How in the hell does a casino go bankrupt??

With the "house advantage" and all the suckers who are bad at math???

Didn't he bankrupt his casinos 3 times???

:shrug:

[Hannah Bell]

11. sometimes a bankruptcy is just a bankruptcy & sometimes it's a robbery.

with trump, i expect it's a robbery.

[Incitatus]

12. Good question. That could be the next job for for his investigators.

How do you go bankrupt when you basically have a license to steal money?

[Cerridwen]

13. Easy; they run them like a corporation rather than a gambling hall.

I've seen a lot of it. The 'bean counters' moved in and removed anything not profitable which had a purpose there other than profit. There are things that don't generate $$$ that keep people in place who then generate $$$.

It would be funny if it didn't cause so much damage.