Well at least there was a '?' in your lead, progress of sorts.
Of course the allegations are just that.
Trump's Foundation is way past the allegation stage:
Of course the allegations are just that.
Trump's Foundation is way past the allegation stage:
Quote:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_J._Trump_Foundation
On October 17 a spokesperson for the Attorney General's office confirmed that the Trump Foundation had agreed to cease solicitation of donations in New York State. The Trump Foundation was at the time granted an extension of time for filing its financial paperwork, including all past audits.[127][128]
The Attorney General's office said the Trump Foundation also agreed to cooperate with their ongoing investigation.[129] The Attorney General's press secretary stated that Trump could not legally dissolve his foundation until the investigation is finished.[130]
Admission of self-dealing[edit]
In filing its 2015 IRS Form 990 (filed in 2016 while under investigation by the New York State Attorney General's office), the foundation appeared to[clarification needed] admit that it had, in previous years, engaged in self-dealing and illegal transfers of funds to "disqualified persons".[131]
New York State litigation against Trump Foundation and Trump family[edit]
People v. Trump
Seal of New York.svg
Court
New York Supreme Court, County of New York
Full case name
People of the State of New York, by Barbara D. Underwood, Attorney General of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump, Donald J. Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Eric F. Trump, and The Donald J. Trump Foundation[132]
Court membership
Judge(s) sitting
Justice Saliann Scarpulla
On June 14, 2018, the new New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood filed a civil lawsuit against the foundation, Trump himself, and Trump's three adult children, Ivanka, Eric, and Donald Jr. alleging that they had engaged in "extensive unlawful political conduct" and that Donald Trump had been using the foundation "as his personal checkbook," to, among other things, settle his personal legal debts and support his presidential campaign.[133][13] The lawsuit sought $2.8 million in restitution and the dissolution of the Foundation.[134][135]
The suit noted that Trump himself made all decisions about disbursement of foundation funds and that the board of directors hadn't met for 18 years.[136]. Underwood's office also referred suspected Federal campaign and tax law violations to the Federal Election Commission and to the IRS.[36]
On August 30, 2018, Trump attorney Alan Futerfas filed a motion to dismiss Underwood's suit, claiming it was without merit and was a result of "pervasive bias" by former New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, who had supervised the investigation before resigning that May.
On October 4, 2018, Attorney General Underwood filed a memorandum opposing the motion, instead strengthening the charges against the Trump Foundation and now alleging, among other claims, that the full $2.8 million of distributions resulting from the January 2016 Iowa fundraiser represented illegal campaign contributions that needed to be repaid.[57]
The memorandum also stated that the Foundation had engaged in "persistent illegality," adding "Donald J. Trump used his control over the Donald J. Trump Foundation for his benefit to advance his personal, business, and political interests in violation of federal and state law governing charities."[60]
On October 25, 2018, Justice Saliann Scarpulla heard a hearing on the motion. Justice Scarpulla suggested that she would wait to issue a ruling on the motion until the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division issued a decision in a separate case (a defamation suit brought by Summer Zervos against Trump) on the issue of whether a sitting U.S. president may be sued in state court at all.[137][138]
On November 23, 2018, Scarpulla denied Trump's motion to dismiss, affirming that a sitting U.S. president can face "a civil lawsuit in state court for actions not taken in his official capacity" and citing the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Clinton v. Jones (1997).[139]
Dissolution of Foundation[edit]
On December 18, 2018, Underwood announced that the foundation had agreed to shut down under court supervision and distribute its remaining assets to court-approved charities, although the attorney general's office would continue its investigations of and legal actions against the foundation and its directors.[15]
Investigation by New York State Department of Taxation and Finance[edit]
Separately, in July 2018, the case was referred to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.[13] In August 2018, the department issued a subpoena to Michael Cohen, formerly Trump's personal attorney, in connection with the case.[140][141]
Office of the Special Counsel investigation[edit]
Main article: Special Counsel investigation (2017–present)
On April 9, 2018 the New York Times reported that the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, as part of its larger investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 election, was investigating the Trump Foundation's donation of $150,000 by Ukrainian billionaire Victor Pinchuk in 2015.[120]
The Times reported that Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, had solicited the donation from Pinchuk in return for Trump's appearance in a 20-minute video conference with Pinchuk and others in Kiev in September 2015, just a few months after Trump launched his presidential campaign.[120][142]
The investigation was part of a broader investigation into foreign influence into the campaign. Federal election law prohibits non-U.S. nationals from contributing to U.S. political campaigns.[121]
Other complaints[edit]
Letter from the House Judiciary Committee to the US Attorney General[edit]
On September 13, 2016, all fifteen Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch requesting that the Justice Department launch a criminal investigation of Trump in connection with his foundation's $25,000 grant to Pam Bondi's campaign. The letter specifically cited possible violations of two anti-bribery laws.[143]
Civil complaint filed with the Internal Revenue Service[edit]
Also on September 13, 2016, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a left-leaning watchdog group, filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service citing evidence they argued would compel the agency to seek back taxes and penalties and revoke the foundation's tax-free status.[143][144]
