Donald Trump Tied to New Jersey Mobster Who Gambled at Trump Plaza
With Donald Trump beginning to close in on the Republican Party’s nomination for the 2016 US presidential election, people are beginning to probe his past with a more serious eye. Michael Isikoff of Yahoo released a report this weekend detailing Donald Trump’s close contacts to a New Jersey mobster, Robert LiButti.
The Isikoff story quotes LiButti’s daughter, Edith Creamer, saying the mobster spent millions at Trump’s casinos in Atlantic City, took rides on Trump’s personal helicopter, and spent time on the presidential candidate’s personal yacht. Eventually, LiButti was banned from Atlantic City casinos, because of his ties to the Teflon Don, John Gatti.
Denials of LiButti Connection
Donald Trump has denied his friendship with Robert LiButti over the years. Not only has he denied knowing the mobster, but Trump also denies ever knowing the name of Robert LiButti.
Trump’s denials of knowing the man might have been believed by his followers, but his claim that he does not remember the man’s name is particularly hard to believe — given Donald Trump claims he has “the world’s best memory”.
Fined $200,000 for LiButti Policies
In 1991, Trump Plaza was investigated for racist and sexist policies regarding LiButti. Eventually, New Jersey regulators fined Trump Plaza $200,000 for acceding to LiButti’s demands that African-Americans and women be banned from his gaming tables.
In the Isikoff Report, nine different former Trump Plaza casino workers say they witnessed LiButti complain enough to have such people removed from his table. As Michael Isikoff writes, the workers said Trump Plaza “repeatedly removed African-Americans and women from craps tables after LiButti, one of the highest-rolling gamblers in the city’s history, loudly complained about their presence when he was playing.”
Used Obscenities and Made Racist Demands
Investigations at the time showed that LiButti used obscenities at the tables, along with loud demands that were within the earshot of guests and employees alike. Because he was one of the city’s biggest high rollers, casino management listened to his demands.
Donald Trump consistently has denied knowing the mob leader. In 1991, Trump told the Inquirer, “I have heard he is a high roller, but if he was standing here in front of me, I wouldn’t know what he looked like.”
The Daily Mail, a wide circulation UK newspaper, quoted a 1990 recording in which an associate of Robert LiButti was wearing a wire for the New Jersey police. In the transcript, LiButti was bragging that he and Donald Trump were close friends.
In an obscenity-filled set of quotes, LiButti told Atlantic City executive Edward Tracy that Trump had loaned him $350,000 to cover gambling debts, yet he “lost his aggressiveness” when he met Marla Maples and needed to “get rid of the broad”.
Edith Creamer Rode on the Helicopter
Edith Creamer directly contradicts Donald Trump’s denials, saying she personally saw their friendship play out.
Creamer told Isikoff, “He’s a liar. Of course he knew him. I flew in the [Trump] helicopter with [Trump’s then wife] Ivana and the kids. My dad flew it up and down [to Atlantic City]. My 35th birthday party was at the Plaza and Donald was there.”
“After the party, we went on his boat, his big yacht. I like Trump, but it pisses me off that he denies knowing my father. That hurts me.”
Edith Creamer said, despite the lies, she intends on voting for Donald Trump in the 2016 election.
Donald Trump Does Not Recall Robert LiButti
When asked last week by Isikoff about his recollections of Robert LiButti, Donald Trump again denied knowing the former high roller. Donald Trump told Yahoo, “During the years I very successfully ran the casino business, I knew many high rollers. I assume Mr. LiButti was one of them, but I don’t recognize the name.”
This is not the first time Donald Trump has made flat denials of events that are undeniable. Denying knowledge of a person who has been brought up in conversations for 25 years is hard to believe, especially when one’s business was fined $200,000 for policies enacted on the person’s request.
Selective Memory?
People often accuse Donald Trump of being a narcissist. Gov. Bobby Jindal of Lousiana gave a speech in September 2015 which suggested Donald Trump might have Narcissistic Personality Disorder, a serious mental disorder in the Cluster B or “antagonistic” set of personality disorders.
One of the traits of someone with a Cluster B disorder is their selective memory — they can remember other people’s faults and misconduct, but cannot remember their own. If Gov. Jindal’s theory is correct, then it is possible that Edith Creamer’s charges are true, but Trump is being truthful in saying he doesn’t remember Creamer or her father.
Through disassociation, Donald Trump might not actually remember having known Robert LiButti. That is not to absolve the former casino mogul; in a way, it’s a great deal more chilling that he might be telling his version of the truth, than assuming he’s lying about those connections.
