“The New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) has an obligation to maintain integrity in the alcoholic beverage industry in the state,” said a spokesperson with the New Jersey Attorney General(NJAG).
The division did not renew two Golf Club Facility licenses associated with Trump. However, the ABC entered “Miscellaneous Ad Interim Permits,” which allow the facilities to continue serving alcohol until a hearing on the renewals is held.
The licenses set to expire on June 30 and then will be temporarily replaced by Miscellaneous Ad Interim Permits include:
- 3403-40-346-001 – Trump National Golf Club Colts Neck LLC
- 3403-40-137-001 – Lamington Farm Club LLC (Bedminster)
A third license (0428-33-003-004 – TNGC Pine Hill LLC), which is a Plenary Consumption license, was renewed by the Borough of Pine Hill on June 3.
New Jersey law(N.J.S.A. 33:1-25) states “no license of any class shall be issued to any person under the age of 18 years or to any person who has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude.”
“A review by ABC indicates that Mr. Trump maintains a direct beneficial interest in the three liquor licenses through the receipt of revenues and profits from them, as the sole beneficiary of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust,” said the NJAG spokesman.
A final decision on the two licenses is scheduled for July 19. During this hearing, “[Trump] bears the burden of proof to demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that they remain qualified to maintain licensure, which includes a review of any beneficiaries of the licenses.”
The ABC decision comes after Trump’s sentencing on July 11 for his conviction on May 30 after about two days of deliberations.
At the heart of the charges are reimbursements paid to Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen for a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in exchange for not going public with her claim about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump.
Prosecutors say the reimbursements were falsely logged as “legal expenses” to hide the true nature of the transactions.
The charges Trump faces are punishable by up to four years in prison. He has denied all wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.