Dec 19, 2016
Hunting enthusiasts Donald Jr. and Eric Trump will be ringing in their father's ascent to power with a fundraiser and bash dubbed "Opening Day 2017," according to an invitation obtained by TMZ and reported on Monday.
"Camouflage & Cufflinks" is the preferred attire at the event, to be held one day after the inauguration at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown Washington, D.C.. Entertainment will be provided by country music favorites Toby Keith and Alabama.
"Opening Day is your opportunity to play a significant role as our family commemorates the inauguration of our father, friend and President Donald J. Trump," the invite reads. "Join us as we celebrate the great American tradition of outdoor sporting, shooting, fishing, and conservation."
However, the significance of that "opportunity" varies: A "Wild Turkey" donation of $25,000 is enough to net 6 tickets (including 2 VIP access) to the event, but only the biggest trophies--"Grizzly Bear" ($500,00) or "Bald Eagle" ($1 million)--are enough to secure a "[m]ulti-day hunting and/or fishing excursion for 4 guests with Donald Trump, Jr. and/or Eric Trump, and team."
The fundraiser was leaked days after a New York Times report on a "Coffee with Ivanka" auction exposed another effort by the Trump children to capitalize on their proximity to the White House.
According to TMZ's "sources," the event is "legit," though it remains unclear if the President-elect will attend. The party is supposedly "being thrown to thank the hunting, shooting, and fishing communities for their support," TMZ notes. The invitation states that net proceeds will be donated to "conservation charities."
Both Donald Jr. and Eric have come under fire for hunting exotic animals and rare species. What's more, the sons are credited with having significantly "influenced the president-elect's thinking on conservation issues," The Hillreported Monday, pointing to the recent selection of Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) to lead the Interior Department.
Donald Jr. had reportedly "hit it off" with Zinke, another "avid outdoorsman," who supports preserving--and drilling on--public lands. Also, according to Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, Zinke has "voted for legislation to remove grizzly bears from the endangered species list, wolves, lynx, he's fought protection for the sage grouse, and at every turn and he wanted to exempt big water developers...in California from the Endangered Species Act."
Both Eric and Donald Jr. have been actively involved with the transition and have sat in on many high-level meetings, however, they are also expected to run the sprawling Trump business empire.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Hunting enthusiasts Donald Jr. and Eric Trump will be ringing in their father's ascent to power with a fundraiser and bash dubbed "Opening Day 2017," according to an invitation obtained by TMZ and reported on Monday.
"Camouflage & Cufflinks" is the preferred attire at the event, to be held one day after the inauguration at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown Washington, D.C.. Entertainment will be provided by country music favorites Toby Keith and Alabama.
"Opening Day is your opportunity to play a significant role as our family commemorates the inauguration of our father, friend and President Donald J. Trump," the invite reads. "Join us as we celebrate the great American tradition of outdoor sporting, shooting, fishing, and conservation."
However, the significance of that "opportunity" varies: A "Wild Turkey" donation of $25,000 is enough to net 6 tickets (including 2 VIP access) to the event, but only the biggest trophies--"Grizzly Bear" ($500,00) or "Bald Eagle" ($1 million)--are enough to secure a "[m]ulti-day hunting and/or fishing excursion for 4 guests with Donald Trump, Jr. and/or Eric Trump, and team."
The fundraiser was leaked days after a New York Times report on a "Coffee with Ivanka" auction exposed another effort by the Trump children to capitalize on their proximity to the White House.
According to TMZ's "sources," the event is "legit," though it remains unclear if the President-elect will attend. The party is supposedly "being thrown to thank the hunting, shooting, and fishing communities for their support," TMZ notes. The invitation states that net proceeds will be donated to "conservation charities."
Both Donald Jr. and Eric have come under fire for hunting exotic animals and rare species. What's more, the sons are credited with having significantly "influenced the president-elect's thinking on conservation issues," The Hillreported Monday, pointing to the recent selection of Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) to lead the Interior Department.
Donald Jr. had reportedly "hit it off" with Zinke, another "avid outdoorsman," who supports preserving--and drilling on--public lands. Also, according to Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, Zinke has "voted for legislation to remove grizzly bears from the endangered species list, wolves, lynx, he's fought protection for the sage grouse, and at every turn and he wanted to exempt big water developers...in California from the Endangered Species Act."
Both Eric and Donald Jr. have been actively involved with the transition and have sat in on many high-level meetings, however, they are also expected to run the sprawling Trump business empire.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Hunting enthusiasts Donald Jr. and Eric Trump will be ringing in their father's ascent to power with a fundraiser and bash dubbed "Opening Day 2017," according to an invitation obtained by TMZ and reported on Monday.
"Camouflage & Cufflinks" is the preferred attire at the event, to be held one day after the inauguration at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown Washington, D.C.. Entertainment will be provided by country music favorites Toby Keith and Alabama.
"Opening Day is your opportunity to play a significant role as our family commemorates the inauguration of our father, friend and President Donald J. Trump," the invite reads. "Join us as we celebrate the great American tradition of outdoor sporting, shooting, fishing, and conservation."
However, the significance of that "opportunity" varies: A "Wild Turkey" donation of $25,000 is enough to net 6 tickets (including 2 VIP access) to the event, but only the biggest trophies--"Grizzly Bear" ($500,00) or "Bald Eagle" ($1 million)--are enough to secure a "[m]ulti-day hunting and/or fishing excursion for 4 guests with Donald Trump, Jr. and/or Eric Trump, and team."
The fundraiser was leaked days after a New York Times report on a "Coffee with Ivanka" auction exposed another effort by the Trump children to capitalize on their proximity to the White House.
According to TMZ's "sources," the event is "legit," though it remains unclear if the President-elect will attend. The party is supposedly "being thrown to thank the hunting, shooting, and fishing communities for their support," TMZ notes. The invitation states that net proceeds will be donated to "conservation charities."
Both Donald Jr. and Eric have come under fire for hunting exotic animals and rare species. What's more, the sons are credited with having significantly "influenced the president-elect's thinking on conservation issues," The Hillreported Monday, pointing to the recent selection of Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) to lead the Interior Department.
Donald Jr. had reportedly "hit it off" with Zinke, another "avid outdoorsman," who supports preserving--and drilling on--public lands. Also, according to Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, Zinke has "voted for legislation to remove grizzly bears from the endangered species list, wolves, lynx, he's fought protection for the sage grouse, and at every turn and he wanted to exempt big water developers...in California from the Endangered Species Act."
Both Eric and Donald Jr. have been actively involved with the transition and have sat in on many high-level meetings, however, they are also expected to run the sprawling Trump business empire.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.