The Trump Organization is suing the city of New York for ending its contract for a golf course at Ferry Point Park.
The contract was terminated in January shortly after the Capitol insurrection on January 6. The lawsuit states that the city and Mayor Bill de Blasio “denounced President (Donald) Trump in the most inflammatory terms” and “incited others to terminate business with Trump-related entities the day after the riot.”
A spokesman for the city law department said: “The actions of Mr. Trump to incite a deadly riot at the Capitol on January 6th caused a breach of the Ferry Point contract by eliminating options for hosting championship events and we will vigorously defend the City’s decision to terminate the contract. The City properly followed the termination process detailed in the contract and we look forward to selecting a new vendor for Ferry Point that will further the best interests of New Yorkers.”
Bill Neidhardt, the mayor’s spokesman, said on Twitter: “Donald Trump directly incited a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. You do that, and you lose the privilege of doing business with the City of New York. It’s as simple as that.”
A Trump Organization spokesperson released a statement on Monday, claiming that “there can be no dispute that we are not just meeting, but exceeding our obligation to operate a first class, tournament quality daily fee golf course. The City has no right to terminate our contract. Mayor de Blasio’s actions are purely politically motivated, have no legal merit, and are yet another example of the mayor’s efforts to advance his own partisan agenda and interfere with free enterprise. But for our involvement, New Yorkers would still be looking at an environmental eyesore instead of a spectacular, world-class golf facility.”
Many private businesses, from Deutsche Bank to Shopify, terminated their relationships with the Trump Organization after the Capitol attacks.
On January 6, Trump released a video telling the rioters to “go home” hours after the assault began. He also said: “We love you. You’re very special.”
He later tweeted: “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away.”
