Marvel Entertainment’s Chairman Accused of Breaking Law

Today, House Democrats accused three of Donald Trump’s associates (Marvel Entertainment Chairman and billionaire Ike Perlmutter, attorney Marc Sherman, and doctor Bruce Moskowitz) of “breaking the law as they used their connection to the former president’s private golf club to shape veterans’ policies for their own benefit”. These three men are collectively called the “Mar-a-Lago” trio, and the Democrats also alleged that both Ivanka Trump and her spouse Jared Kushner knew about the scheme. According to CNBC the three men Perlmutter, Sherman and Moskowitz “‘refused to comply with a federal transparency law while secretly influencing the Department of Veterans Affairs during the Trump administration’, two Democratic committee chairs said in a press release”. Emails from Ivanka’s personal email account were used by the Democrats to support the allegation.

Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano, D-Calif., said in a press release that the trio “violated the law and sought to exert improper influence over government officials to further their own personal interests…The documents we are releasing today shed light on the secret role the Trio played in developing VA initiatives and programs, including a ‘hugely profitable’ plan to monetize veterans’ medical records.” According to CNBC, “a spokesman for the Department of Justice did not immediately respond when asked if the agency would investigate the Democrats’ allegations. A spokesman for Marvel Entertainment did not immediately respond.”  According to CNBC, ProPublica in August 2018 already had “published an investigation accusing Perlmutter, Sherman and Moskowitz of pushing VA officials toward certain policies with no accountability or oversight, and while remaining hidden to all but a few agency insiders”. Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano also announced an investigation in 2019 and “asked then-VA Secretary Robert Wilkie for materials related to the three men”.

We don’t know what this means for Marvel Entertainment (and keep in mind that Marvel Entertainment is not the same as Marvel Studios, which is a separate entity under Marvel), but we will continue to follow this breaking story.