The mayor said on Wednesday that the city is canceling all contracts with the Trump Organization.
By David Isaac, World Israel News
There’s little love lost between New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and President Donald Trump, who threatened to defund the city back in September for becoming a “lawless zone” and “anarchist jurisdiction” as Black Lives Matter protesters rampaged through the streets unchecked. Now it’s payback time for de Blasio.
The mayor said on Wednesday that the city is canceling all contracts with the Trump Organization, blaming the president for the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
“The President incited a rebellion against the United States government that killed five people and threatened to derail the constitutional transfer of power,” de Blasio said in a statement, in depiction of events Trump rejects.
“The City of New York will not be associated with those unforgivable acts in any shape, way or form, and we are immediately taking steps to terminate all Trump Organization contracts,” he added.
De Blasio used what might be considered overheated rhetoric as he likened the Trump Organization to the Italian mob.
“We are not going to do business with a criminal organization,” de Blasio said. “If I said to you, ‘Should we do business with the mafia,’ you’d say ‘No.’ Unfortunately at this point, the Trump Organization is just another organized crime organization.”
Eric Trump, 37, the president’s second son, said the city “has no legal right to end our contracts,” and called the move “political discrimination,” the Daily News reports. Eric, together with Donald Jr., have been running Trump’s business empire while he is president. Eric said the City will owe the Trump Organization $30 million if it proceeds.
The Trump Organization has several contracts with the City, including a carousel at Central Park and two ice rinks, which are the most lucrative contract, bringing in $9.4 million.
CNN reports that the contracts can be terminated by the city “at will,” and therefore de Blasio has the legal leverage to carry out his promise.
New York City is only the latest entity to break ties with Trump after the Capitol riots. The PGA of America pulled its 2022 championship from the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey in an announcement on Thursday.
Two banks that worked with Trump, Deutsche Bank and Signature Bank, say they will no longer do so. Shopify, which ran Trump’s online stories, has also joined what could be termed ‘the ban-wagon’.
Trump’s family, recognizing New York City has become too hostile to call home, are pulling up roots.
The latest to depart is Donald Jr., 43, and his girlfriend, former co-host of Fox News’ The Five, Kimberly Guilfoyle, 51. They are abandoning New York City for Florida, the New York Post reports on Wednesday. They join Jared Kushner, 40, and Ivanka Trump, 39, the president’s second child, who have already moved there from the City.
“There is no way they can stay in New York. They’d be tortured in the streets,” a source close to the family told the Post of Donald Jr. and Guilfoyle.