New Jersey is reviewing whether Donald Trump’s recent convictions will impact his liquor licenses in the state. Trump is the owner of three golf courses in New Jersey that have active liquor licenses, and state law prohibits issuing a license to anyone convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude. The former president’s organization did not respond to requests for comment on the matter, but similar rules exist in other states where Trump sells alcohol. However, workarounds in these states may prevent any issues for Trump in maintaining his licenses.
In California, Trump transferred his liquor license for the Trump National Golf Club to his son in 2017, meaning he is no longer considered part of the license. Representatives from New York, Virginia, Illinois, and North Carolina stated that Trump is not a current liquor licensee in their states, despite owning businesses with licenses there. In Florida, where Trump has five properties with liquor licenses, his conviction may violate a moral-character rule, but easy workarounds such as providing character references or evidence of good citizenship could allow him to maintain his licenses in the Sunshine State.
In Las Vegas, where Trump co-owns a hotel, Nevada counties require evidence of good moral character for liquor licenses, but disciplinary grounds do not include felony convictions in Clark County, where Trump’s hotel is located. Enforcement of any possible violations could ultimately fall to local officials, as seen with a petition in Washington, D.C., to cancel Trump’s hotel’s liquor license based on good-character requirements. However, the board declined to rule on the issue in the middle of a licensing period and later dismissed the complaint the following year.
Overall, it appears that Trump may face some challenges in New Jersey due to their restrictions on liquor licenses for those convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude. However, in other states where Trump sells alcohol, workarounds and loopholes may allow him to maintain his licenses despite his recent convictions. Enforcement of these rules may vary depending on the jurisdiction and the discretion of local officials, as seen in previous attempts to challenge Trump’s liquor licenses in Washington, D.C. Ultimately, the impact of Trump’s convictions on his liquor licenses remains uncertain as state authorities continue to review the situation.
