The presidential election is well underway and that means the mud being slung during the campaign is at a premium.
During a speech at the Democratic National Convention, Vice Presidential nominee Tim Kaine took aim at Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump saying Florida retirees and families, “lost tens of thousands of dollars,” in deposits on failed Trump condo projects, but he, “pocketed their money and walked away.”
PolitiFact Florida heard the claim and gave it a HALF TRUE rating.
Writer Josh Gillin says it has to do with the so-called Trump Tower Tampa and similar projects. Trump had a secret agreement with the building’s developers saying he’d put his name on the building but was not actually affiliated with construction. When the projects failed, fold who had put down deposits did not receive full refunds. From that, they accused Mr. Trump.
“Trump was really never found at fault for any of this. He had legal protection. The agreement had said this is how it was going to work,” Gillin said. “So it’s not like he walked away. He was just protected legally.”
For that reason, Kaine’s statement received a HALF TRUE rating.
SOURCES: Trump takes retirees’ money according to Kaine
Tim Kaine, remarks at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, July 27, 2016
New York Times, "Buying a Trump Property, or So They Thought," May 12, 2011
Miami Herald, "Donald Trump’s tower of trouble," March 25, 2012
South Florida Business Journal, "Donald Trump sues Stillman over troubled Fort Lauderdale hotel project," June 4, 2015
PolitiFact Florida, "The Clintons really did attend Donald Trump's 2005 wedding," July 21, 2015
Tampa Bay Times, "Buyers still feel burned by Donald Trump after Tampa condo tower failure," July 31, 2015
Tampa Bay Times, "Site of Trump Tower Tampa sold to new developers for $12.1 million," Nov. 30, 2015
Foreign Policy, "Teflon Don: How Trump Survived a Real Estate Deal Gone Bad," Nov. 30, 2015
CNN, "Buying a Trump? Better read the fine print," Feb. 22, 2016
Tampa Bay Times, "Those burned in failed Trump Tower Tampa project may still vote for its namesake," March 11, 2016
Miami Herald, "Failed Donald Trump tower thrust into GOP campaign for presidency," March 12, 2016
News Service of Florida, "Court sides with Trump in failed Fort Lauderdale project," April 27, 2016
USA Today, "Trump's 3,500 lawsuits unprecedented for a presidential nominee," June 2, 2016
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, "Trump’s name pulled from beachside hotel," Nov. 11, 2010, accessed via Nexis
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, "Trump testifies in condo failure," March 11, 2014, accessed via Nexis
Interview with Tim Hogan, Kaine spokesman, July 28, 2016