Westgate Resorts CEO David Siegel allowed the Trump campaign to rent out his Las Vegas resort’s event space for pre-debate rally.
By Jacob Engels
Billionaire time-share CEO David Siegel of Westgate resorts is a longtime GOP mega-donor and noted critic of President Obama. Following the 2000 election victory for George W. Bush, Siegel famously proclaimed he was responsible for delivering the presidency to Bush in ways that “may have not been legal.”
He also sent an email to his 7,000+ employees in 2012, cautioning them about voting for Barack Obama and the potential effects it would could have on their job security. Siegel would later raise his minimum wage to $10, far above his industry competitors.
However, since the tragic loss of his daughter Victoria to an apparent overdose this past summer, he vowed his main focus would be on a foundation dedicated to her and eradicating drugs in middle schools, high schools, and colleges – pushing mandatory random drug testing.
Before Tuesday’s Republican presidential debate, Trump held a rally with another record breaking crowd at the Westgate Resorts Las Vegas property according to several news reports. Trump has been a vocal supporter and friend of David Siegel for more than a decade, and his current wife Jacqueline Siegel even went on a few dates with “The Donald” before marrying Siegel.
Westgate Resorts Chief Operating Officer Michael Waltrip tells the East Orlando Post that the company and Mr. Siegel have not chosen a candidate in the 2016 presidential race yet.
“The Trump campaign organized and booked the event independently and this did not come in the form of an in-kind contribution.” Trump’s campaign has survived off earned media and millions in small dollar donations.
Friday, it was announced that former longtime top Trump advisor Roger Stone, had launched a SuperPAC to highlight the shortcomings of the real estate moguls top competitors, coined “The Committee To Restore America’s Greatness”.
“Unlike the “Super PACs”, controlled by billionaires, we will accept no corporate contributions. We are calling on average Americans and everyday citizens to help us finance a hard-hitting television and radio campaign exposing the real Marco Rubio, and his secret deal with would-be vice-president John Kasich,” the website for the PAC states on it’s homepage.
Jacob Engels, is the Founder of East Orlando Post & Seminole County Post. He is a seasoned political operative who has led numerous statewide political groups and has worked on several high-profile local, statewide, and national races. Jacob has been interviewed on national television & radio programs, with his work having been featured in the Orlando Sentinel, New York Times, Washington Post, Miami Herald and other publications nationwide. He can be reached at info@eastorlandopost.com
