City Probes Whether Trump Tower Atrium Was Improperly Closed To Public By Campaign
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The city has opened an investigation into whether Donald Trump's presidential campaign broke the rules by keeping the public out of Trump Tower.
As WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported, the marble atrium at Trump Tower is technically a public space. It was a concession to which Trump agreed decades ago in order to build the tower taller than zoning rules allowed at the time.
While Silverman was reporting this story on Wednesday, a security officer came up and told him he "can't do that in here." Silverman told the officer that indeed he could report from the atrium since it is a public space, but the security officer repeated that he could not.
The security officer went to get a supervisor, who decided to let Silverman stay.
Reporters who have covered election nights and news conferences at Trump Tower know that names are checked against a list for such events, and that tourists who usually pass through are kept out.
City documents say the space can only be closed four times a year with the city's permission. A Buildings Department spokesman said the department is investigating whether the rules were violated.
A spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio sent WCBS 880 a statement, saying, "Despite what he may think, the rules and laws of this city apply to everybody, including Mr. Trump."
An attorney for Trump told the Associated Press that the property was never closed during a news conference this week.
