Trump Tower at 401 North Wabash Ave, CNA CEO Dino Robusto and Donald Trump (Google Maps, CNA and Getty)
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.
[Crain’s] — Holden Walter-Warner
