Insurer Continental Casualty is refusing to cover any potential fines tied to a recent legal decision against the Trump Organization.
A judge ruled that the former president’s company had pumped almost 20 million gallons of water daily into and out of Trump International Hotel & Tower to and from the Chicago River without a permit.
As the condo and hotel skyscraper’s property insurance company, Continental could potentially be on the hook for up to $12 million in fines, according to Crain’s, which first reported the story.
The state of Illinois brought its case against Trump Org in 2018. In February, a Cook County judge ruled that the skyscraper broke environmental laws. And in June, Continental — a unit of Chicago-based CNA Financial —filed a lawsuit arguing it would not cover any fines stemming from the violations, according to Crain’s.
The river water was used for the building’s cooling and heating systems; the building needed a permit from the state Environmental Protection Agency for its process. The permit is needed so the EPA can assess risk to the fish population in the river. The tower had a permit, but it expired in 2017 and wasn’t renewed, the state alleges.
Earlier this week, the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board ruled that Donald Trump is owed $1 million after overpaying on a tax bill in 2011 at Trump Tower. But Cook County State Attorney Kimberly Foxx filed a suit with the Illinois Appellate Court in an attempt to block the refund.
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[Crain’s] — Holden Walter-Warner