Trump’s liquor licenses suspended at two N.J. golf clubs

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The liquor licenses at two of former President Donald Trump’s three New Jersey golf clubs have not been renewed, according to Attorney General Matthew Platkin’s office.

A spokesperson confirmed that the New Jersey Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control did not renew the licenses of two Trump-affiliated golf clubs:

Trump National Golf Club in Colts Neck
Trump National Golf Club Bedminster

The licenses at both locations expired on Sunday.

Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia in Pine Hill has a full liquor license that the city renewed on June 3, according to an ABC spokesman.

Instead, the department issued “various temporary permits” at Trump’s clubs in Colts Neck and Bedminster pending a hearing on the renewals. The hearing is scheduled for July 19, a week after Trump is scheduled to be sentenced in a Manhattan court for felonies in a hush-money case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11.

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Why does New Jersey want to investigate Trump’s liquor licenses?

According to the spokesperson, the department’s review found that Trump benefits from all three licenses because the revenues and profits from them have a single beneficiary — the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust.

Under New Jersey law, a liquor license cannot be issued to “anyone under the age of 18 or to any person convicted of an offense involving indecent liquor.”

Trump was convicted of falsifying business records to hide money he paid an adult film star to keep quiet about a meeting before the 2016 election.

The qualification documents for persons interested in obtaining a licence, taken from ABC Bulletins and case law, contain additional provisions regarding being a “person of good repute”.

The document stated that “this discretionary concept recognises the right of the licensing authority to take into account previous public order offences, a known history of organised crime or a reasonable suspicion that the applicant is ‘impersonating’ the licensee of another, undisclosed and usually disqualified person” when assessing whether to issue or renew a licence application.

Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: [email protected]