What will happen to Donald Trump's New Jersey liquor licenses after his punishment-free sentencing in hush money case?

Fallon Roth, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Jan 14, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General’s Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control is determining whether President-elect Donald Trump is qualified to hold an interest in the liquor licenses at his New Jersey golf courses after he received a zero-punishment sentencing in his New York hush-money trial last Friday.

Since Trump’s felony conviction in May, Democratic Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin’s office has maintained that Trump — who will be inaugurated to his second presidential term on Monday — holds a direct beneficial interest in the licenses in potential violation of New Jersey law, which states that no one who has been “convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude” should possess a liquor license, according to statements from the office.

The alcoholic beverage control division has not renewed the licenses at Trump National Golf Club Colts Neck and Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, but instead entered and renewed “Miscellaneous Ad Interim Permits,” which allow the facilities to continue serving alcoholic beverages until a hearing on the renewals is held, according to a spokesperson for the attorney general’s office. The current renewals expire on Feb. 28.

Trump’s third Jersey golf club, Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia — located in Camden County’s Pine Hill — was not affected, and the Borough of Pine Hill renewed its Plenary Consumption license on June 3.

The saga over Trump’s liquor licenses started in the summer, with the attorney general’s office originally planning to hold a hearing on July 19, 2024, in Trenton. But with the repeated delays of Trump’s sentencing for his effort to sway the 2016 election through hush-money payments, the license renewal hearings have been in purgatory.

New Jersey officials also began a review — including evaluating Trump’s criminal history and whether he is of “reputable character” and has the ability to operate the business in “a reputable manner” — to determine the impact of Trump’s conviction on his licenses.

A spokesperson for Platkin declined to comment Monday on a timeline for any forthcoming renewal hearing.

Both notices for the renewal hearings over the summer were addressed to Donald Trump Jr., whose name is on the liquor licenses. The president-elect, however, benefits from the profits and revenue from the licenses and is “the sole beneficiary of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, under which all of the organization assets are held,” according to the documents from the division of alcoholic beverage control.

A spokesperson for Trump’s transition team did not immediately return a request for comment.

Friday’s sentencing took place just 10 days before Trump’s inauguration, making him the first person convicted of a felony to assume the presidency and marking the first criminal prosecution of a former U.S. president and a major presidential candidate, the Associated Press reported.

Trump could have served up to four years for his conviction, but instead received an “unconditional discharge,” meaning he does not have to serve any jail time, pay a fine, or participate in community service. He is also able to vote, but cannot own a firearm and will have to give a DNA sample.