Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Loses Big Client as Cleveland Clinic Pulls Fundraising Gala From Venue

After holding its annual fundraiser at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club the past eight years, Cleveland Clinic has suddenly canceled its plans to hold its gala there this year.

In a short statement obtained by Cleveland.com, the organization didn’t give any reason for the departure:

“After careful consideration, Cleveland Clinic has decided that it will not hold a Florida fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago in 2018,” the hospital system said in a statement. “We thank the staff of Mar-a-Lago for their service over the years.”

A company spokesperson later told the Washington Post that “there were a variety of factors” involved in their decision to move the gala but wouldn’t elaborate any further. She did add that the fundraiser’s donors enjoyed the venue in the past, which was why they had held it there in years past.

However, it should be noted that the clinic’s CEO, Toby Cosgrove, was on the business advisory council that agreed to disband following Trump’s “both sides” comments on Charlottesville violence in which the president essentially defended the alt-right. The CEOs pointed out at that time the president’s remarks didn’t represent the values of them or their organizations.

It was reported in June that in the wake of Trump’s inauguration, Mar-a-Lago was seeing a dip in banquet business. At the time of that report, seven charities and nonprofits had decided to pull their fundraising galas for the upcoming winter season, citing “security and hassle” among the reasons.

[image via Shutterstock]

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