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Response

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Cecilia Browning <cecilia.browning@houseofsweden.com>
> Date: September 21, 2017 at 11:38:24 AM EDT
> To: Hunter Biden <hbiden@rosemontseneca.com>
> Cc: Ann-Sofie Cox <ann-sofie.cox@houseofsweden.com>
> Subject: RE: After hours visitor issues
>
> Hunter,
> I am so very sorry if we have offended you in any way, I know we all have the same goal – to keep our building safe. And with that we ask that all visitors enter through the main entrance even if they are accompanied by a tenant. This is of course also important in an emergency situation when we need to account for who is in the building.
>
> Everyone, including the Embassy employees, are also asked never to lend out keys to their relatives – again we are just trying to keep the building safe, and we much apologize if we have offended you in any way.
>
> I am also in the office today, so please do not hesitate to contact me with concerns.
>
> We are very excited and honored to welcome your new colleagues!
>
> Best regards,
> Cecilia
>
>
>
>
> CECILIA E. BROWNING
> General Manager
> HOUSE OF SWEDEN
> 2900 K Street NW Washington, D.C. 20007
> Phone: (202) 536-1510 Cell: (703) 628-6517
> www.houseofsweden.com -- cecilia.browning@houseofsweden.com
>
> From: Hunter Biden [mailto:hbiden@rosemontseneca.com]
> Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2017 10:13 AM
> To: Cecilia Browning <cecilia.browning@houseofsweden.com>
> Cc: Ann-Sofie Cox <ann-sofie.cox@houseofsweden.com>
> Subject: Re: After hours visitor issues
>
> Cecelia
> Please call me at your convenience. I will be in my office today. No visitor of mine entered the building without the knowledge of security. If Ms. Cox has an issue with the race or dress of my visitors I think we should all sit down and discuss with an attorney present. I understand your need for security in light of the fact that the Icelandic Ambassador’s office is on the same floor, however, I do not believe i have received a complaint from any other tenants. If I have please let me know. You pointed out the rules in a previous email, and I accommodated Ms. Cox’s solitary concern. If you are telling me that I need to seek prior approval for any visitor I may have to my office after 6PM than I think we should have a talk about the practicality of that. It seems Ms. Cox has an issue with my visitors in particular. I’ve spoken with other tenants and frankly I have seen visitors of others enter and exit the building by the north entrance after “business hours.” I have come to know personally the entire security team you have at the House of Sweden. I have never knowingly attempted to hide visitors or break any rules. What do i have have to hide Cecelia. There is a camera in every hallway every 10 feet. I have adjusted to the rules that seem to applied to me while not others. In fact I know that other tenants on the 5th floor have had visitors and even cocktail parties after hours and have not been required to have "After hour visitors...approved by the management prior to their visit at House of Sweden.”
> Again, Ms. Cox who apparently will not provide me with a replacement key that I have given to my Uncle (that’s explained in the following email) For some reason Ms.Cox seems to be offended or concerned with the shape size color ethnicity weight— who knows- of my visitors. I have never tried to evade security and that can be confirmed by all members of your security team. I assume that Ms. Cox is now referring to “visitors” THAT RECENTLY ENTERED THE BUILDING THROUGH THE NORTH ENTRANCE WHERE THEY WERE MET AT MY OFFICE DOOR BY SECURITY. I had phoned ahead to let security know that my youngest daughter’s basketball mentor she worked out with Maisy and Sasha Obama when they played in rec league together. Maisy, my daughter continues ton pursue a NCAA Div. One team and Lunden continues to help.
>
> Lundon Roberts
> Here is a partial bio:
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> All time NCAA three point shooting average.
> All time NCAA free throw percentage.
> Three time NCAA All American.
> High School: Averaged 21.5 points, seven rebounds and three assists during her senior season at Southside...was a four-year letterman, earning all-conference honors in her final three seasons and all-state honors as a junior and senior...an AHSAA All-Star game nominee and McDonald's All-American following her senior season...set an Arkansas high school record by shooting 94.6 percent from the free throw line as a senior, which also ranked second nationally...was named to the all-tournament team at the George Kell Classic in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons...was named to the all-tournament team at the Williams Baptist College Tournament in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons...was named to the all-tournament team at the Lyon College Tournament in her junior and senior seasons. Lunden choose not play in the WNBA. Lunden is in her final semester at George Washington University’s National CSIS Masters Program and ranked #1 in her class. If you need any more information you can find it yourself.
>
> This is beyond absurd. Ms. Cox may genuinely believe that their is some security risk. Your actual security team however always been made aware of my guests regardless of the hour. I will admit that my guests at times do to fit a profile that Ms. Cox seems to be more uncomfortable with. In particular (among several) Ms. Cox took issue with a middle aged African American woman who because of her economic circumstances was dressed in clothes I will assume Ms. Cox would associate with an extremely poor person. The woman’s name is Robin Teresa Henry and I have known her for 17 years. She has had a very difficult life, but is one of the more honest and caring people I have ever known. She has been homeless for quite sometime and I have always tried to help by giving Robin odd jobs that fit with her odd hours so that she can have somewhere safe to sleep. I assure you she is not a threat to the Icelandic Ambassador. IF YOU WOULD LIKE HER TO COME IN AND PROVIDE ID FOR BACKGROUND LET ME KNOW. She has stayed in MY parents home. She has been to the White House with me and she has met my entire family. But if Ms. Cox is scared of Robin please let me know.
>
> So Cecelia if you would like to make this a real issue than please have Ms. Cox make herself available today. I will make certain my attorneys are available either by phone or in person. And Cecelia as a final note it seems extremely odd to me that I was shown a space that was arranged as an apartment zoned for residential that had two fully furnished bedrooms and a washer dryer two showers with full tubs etc… that would require a tenant to seek approval to stay past 7PM. In fact I can’t believe that there is any office building even ones that share government space that require their tenants to seek prior approval to stay at work past 7PM.
>
>
> You do understand that if Ms. Cox thinks that I am somehow embarrassed by my visitors because of their color or their clothes or their age or whatever other label of ill repute she has pinned on them she is mistaken. If she is not applying these rules to every tenant 100% of the time all the time and every time for the entire time she has been working at the House of Sweden (which I know in fact is not the case) than she should review the following:
>
>
> Public Accommodations Discrimination
>
> It is unlawful for an owner or operator of a place of public accommodation or an agent/employee of the owner or operator to refuse, withhold from, or deny to anyone the accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of a place of public accommodation because of race, sex, age, color, creed, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
> The law protects you in the following settings including, but not limited to:
> Restaurants
> Hotels
> Theatres
> Bus & Transportation Services
> Recreational & Aquatic Centers
> Governmental Facilities
> Gas Stations, Department Stores & Retail Establishments
> Sidewalks, Parking Lots, & Other Public Surface Areas
> Office Buildings & Commercial Establishments
> Museums, Amusement Parks, & Other Public Attractions
> Examples of equal access include, but is not limited to:
> Entrances & Exits
> Restrooms
> Customer Sales & Service
> Protected Traits in DC
>
> The DC Office of Human Rights enforces the DC Human Rights Act, which makes discrimination illegal based on 19 protected traits for people that live, visit or work in the District of Columbia. The DC Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations and educational institutions.
>
> Protected Traits for Housing, Employment, Public Accommodations and Educational Institutions include:
>
> 1. Race: classification or association based on a person’s ancestry or ethnicity
> 2. Color: skin pigmentation or complexion
> 3. Religion: a belief system which may or may not include spirituality
> 4. National origin: the country or area where one’s ancestor’s are from
> 5. Sex: a person’s gender; sex discrimination includes sex harassment, and discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, and reproductive health decisions.
> 6. Age: 18 years or older
> 7. Marital status: married, single, in a domestic partnership, divorced, separated, and widowed
> 8. Personal appearance: outward appearance
> 9. Sexual orientation: homosexuality, heterosexuality, and bisexuality
> 10. Gender identity or expression: your gender-related identity, behavior, appearance, expression or behavior which is different from what you are assigned at birth
> 11. Family responsibilities: supporting a person in a dependent relationship, which includes, but is not limited to, your children, grandchildren and parents.
> 12. Political affiliation: belonging to or supporting a political party
> 13. Disability: a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; includes those with HIV/AIDS.
>
> Additional Traits Applicable to Some Areas include:
>
> 14. Matriculation (applies to housing, employment and public accommodations): being enrolled in a college, university or some type of secondary school.
> 15. Familial Status (applies to housing, public accommodations and educational institutions): a parent or guardian with children under 18
> 16. Genetic information (applies to employment and public accommodations): Your DNA or family history which may provide information as to a person’s predisposition or likely to come down with a disease or illness.
> 17. Source of Income (applies to housing, public accommodations and educational institutions): origination of a person’s finances
> 18. Place of Residence or Business (applies to housing and public accommodations): geographical location of home or work
> 19. Status as a Victim of an Intrafamily Offense (applies to housing): a person who was subjected to domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking
> Please note that these definitions are not exhaustive.
>
>
> Ms. Cox in fact has made it very clear that the reason she has brought my visitors to your attention as a violation of the rules of the House of Sweden is because of their Personal appearance. Maybe it was their Race or Color or Age that has so offended Ms. Cox. Why she feels it necessary to apply these rules apparently only instances in which she personally objects to the appearance of my guests I am not certain. For instance my mother entered the building with a USSS detail through the north entrance after 6PM and Ms. Cox had no objection. Do I need to go on.
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> 202-552-9396
> Hunter Biden
>
> On Sep 18, 2017, at 3:22 PM, Cecilia Browning <cecilia.browning@houseofsweden.com> wrote:
>
>
> Dear Joan, Eric and Hunter,
> It has once again come to my attention that it appears that after hours access has been given to visitors through the North Entrance to 507 - as we have 24/7 security camera coverage throughout the building. Please help us in keeping the building safe by following House of Sweden’s Rules and Regulations.
>
> As you can see from paragraph XVII below (and attached), visitors must enter the building through the main entrance at all times, go through the metal detector and also sign in. After hour visitors must be approved by the management prior to their visit at House of Sweden.
>
> Please also note that keys signed out by a tenant cannot be lent to a visitor.
>
> Please let us know if there are any questions of course. We take the security of our building very seriously with two Embassies as tenants, so we thank you for keeping our building safe going forward.
>
> Best,
> Cecilia
>
>
> XVII. BUSINESS HOURS, AFTER HOURS CONDUCT AND ACCESS
>
>
> 1. House of Sweden office suites on the fourth and fifth floors are meant to be occupied during regular business hours, 8AM – 6PM. After 7PM exiting should only take place via the north tenant entrance.
>
> 2. Only tenants can enter through the north entrance – all visitors, including those accompanied by tenants, are subject to security screening, and must enter through the main entrance.
>
> 3. Access for visitors after regular business hours requires prior notification to general manager and concierge via email, as well as permission by general manager.
>
> 4. Usage of office suites after 7PM requires notification and approval of general manager and concierge, noting that House of Sweden is a government owned and managed building which houses two Embassies.
>
>
>
> CECILIA E. BROWNING
> General Manager
> HOUSE OF SWEDEN
> 2900 K Street NW Washington, D.C. 20007
> Phone: (202) 536-1510 Cell: (703) 628-6517
> www.houseofsweden.com -- cecilia.browning@houseofsweden.com
> =2