New York's new attorney general Barbara Underwood is suing President Trump and his children, alleging they are guilty of violating campaign finance laws with the Donald J. Trump Foundation. The AG's office wants the foundation dissolved. His family, the lawsuit says, is guilty of "repeated self-dealing," using the charity to pay off creditors and even decorate a golf club.
The lawsuit, filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan, culminated a nearly two-year investigation of Mr. Trump’s charity, which became a subject of scrutiny during and after the 2016 presidential campaign. While such foundations are supposed to be devoted to charitable activities, the complaint asserts that Mr. Trump’s was often used to curry political favor or settle legal claims against his various businesses, and even spent $10,000 on a portrait of Mr. Trump that was hung at one of his golf clubs.
The $10,000 portrait was one of several examples of the foundation being used in “at least five self-dealing transactions,” according to the attorney general’s office, violating tax regulations that prohibit using nonprofit charities for private interests. (New York Times)
Trump responded on Twitter, taking aim at former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who resigned after reports of domestic violence abuse, and his successors.
The sleazy New York Democrats, and their now disgraced (and run out of town) A.G. Eric Schneiderman, are doing everything they can to sue me on a foundation that took in $18,800,000 and gave out to charity more money than it took in, $19,200,000. I won’t settle this case!...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 14, 2018
....Schneiderman, who ran the Clinton campaign in New York, never had the guts to bring this ridiculous case, which lingered in their office for almost 2 years. Now he resigned his office in disgrace, and his disciples brought it when we would not settle.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 14, 2018
Underwood also sent referral letters to the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Election Commission for further action.