美国国家公共电台 NPR Trump D.C. Hotel Contractors Say They're Owed Millions

 

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: 

After construction wrapped up on his new hotel in Washington, D.C., President-elect Donald Trump¹ declared it the height of luxury. The Trump Organization spent $200 million to renovate² the historic post office building, redoing all the woodwork, upgrading plumbing³ and electric systems. But several companies say they haven't been fully⁴ paid for that work and have filed liens⁶ against the Trump Hotel. NPR's Jackie Northam reports.

JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE⁷: In late October, just weeks ahead of the election, President-elect Trump made a quick detour⁸ to Washington for the official opening of his new five-star hotel just a few blocks from the White House. It included a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

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DONALD TRUMP: One, two, three.

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NORTHAM: Trump told the crowd that the two-year renovation⁹ project was done ahead of schedule and under budget thanks to what he called an incredible team of people.

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TRUMP: Including hundreds of construction workers, electricians, maintenance workers and so many others who helped make this project a reality. They're really the important ones.

NORTHAM: And now some of those companies would like final payment for their work. Documents obtained by NPR show three Washington-area companies have filed liens against Trump International Hotel totaling $5 million. Richard Sissman is the lawyer for a subcontracting construction firm that says it's still owed about $80,000 for woodwork done on the hotel.

RICHARD SISSMAN: Trim and case work and architectural millwork, wall base crown molding - this is all fine carpentry. On these big jobs these should be paid. It's ridiculous that a small-time operator has to beg for its money.

NORTHAM: Trump has faced many liens and lawsuits¹⁰ for alleged¹¹ non-payment for work in the past. Steven Schooner¹² with the George Washington University Law School says resolving the liens in this case could ultimately involve the federal government because it holds the lease on the building where the Trump Hotel is located.

STEVEN SCHOONER: The way the lease is structured, it says that they may step in and discharge the lien⁵, but they're not actually required to.

NORTHAM: Still, Schooner says, as a rule the government wants its tenants¹³ - like Trump Hotel - to solve their own problems. Requests for comment from Trump's communication team about the liens were not returned. Jackie Northam, NPR News, Washington.

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1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 renovate   

vt.更新，革新，刷新

参考例句：

• The couple spent thousands renovating the house.这对夫妇花了几千元来翻新房子。
• They are going to renovate the old furniture.他们准备将旧家具整修一番。

3 plumbing   

n.水管装置；水暖工的工作；管道工程v.用铅锤测量（plumb的现在分词）；探究

参考例句：

• She spent her life plumbing the mysteries of the human psyche. 她毕生探索人类心灵的奥秘。
• They're going to have to put in new plumbing. 他们将需要安装新的水管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 lien   

n.扣押权，留置权

参考例句：

• A lien is a type of security over property.留置是一种财产担保。
• The court granted me a lien on my debtor's property.法庭授予我对我债务人财产的留置权。

6 liens   

n.留置权，扣押权( lien的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Car les liens économiques n'ont jamais été aussi forts. 因为经济纽带从来没有如此强大。 来自互联网
• Chapter XI Procedures for Publicizing Notice for Assertion of Maritime Liens. 第十一章船舶优先权催告程序。 来自互联网

7 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

8 detour   

n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道

参考例句：

• We made a detour to avoid the heavy traffic.我们绕道走，避开繁忙的交通。
• He did not take the direct route to his home,but made a detour around the outskirts of the city.他没有直接回家，而是绕到市郊兜了个圈子。

9 renovation   

n.革新，整修

参考例句：

• The cinema will reopen next week after the renovation.电影院修缮后，将于下星期开业。
• The building has undergone major renovation.这座大楼已进行大整修。

10 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

11 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

12 schooner   

n.纵帆船

参考例句：

• The schooner was driven ashore.那条帆船被冲上了岸。
• The current was bearing coracle and schooner southward at an equal rate.急流正以同样的速度将小筏子和帆船一起冲向南方。

13 tenants   

n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者

参考例句：

• A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent. 许多房客因不付房租被赶了出来。
• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。