New York (AP) — A lawsuit filed by New York's attorney
general Thursday said President Donald Trump used his charitable foundation to
settle personal business disputes and bolster his political
image with
donations directed by his staff.
The Donald J. Trump Foundation "was little more than
a checkbook for payments from Mr. Trump or his businesses to nonprofits,
regardless of their purpose or legality," Democratic Attorney General
Barbara Underwood said as she sued to dissolve the foundation and seek $2.8 million
in restitution.
The lawsuit says the foundation illegally helped support
the Republican's campaign by raising money at a nationally televised fundraiser
in January 2016, then allowing campaign staffers to dictate how the money was
spent in grants.
In a couple of tweets, Trump called the case
"ridiculous" and said he would not settle the lawsuit.
Trump made a similar claim that he wouldn't settle a
lawsuit charging that his Trump University misled customers, but ultimately
paid a $25 million settlement last year.
Foundation attorney Sheri Dillon and a Trump Organization
spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
The foundation's mission says its funds are to be used
"exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary or
educational purposes," either directly or through other organizations,
according to the court filing. In keeping with federal tax rules, the charity's
incorporation documents say none of its resources can directly or indirectly go
to the benefit of its directors or officers and none of its activities can
benefit any political candidate, the filing notes.
Underwood's predecessor, Democrat Eric Schneiderman, began
investigating the foundation in 2016 following Washington Post reports that its
spending personally benefited the presidential candidate. Schneiderman ordered
the foundation to stop fundraising in New York.
The Trump campaign, at the time, said the foundation
intended to cooperate with the investigation. The campaign had previously
called Schneiderman "a partisan hack" who backed Trump's 2016
Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.
Schneiderman resigned last month after allegations that he
abused women he had dated; he denied the claims.
The lawsuit was filed Thursday against the foundation and
its directors, Trump and his children Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka
Trump.
Trump quickly took to Twitter after the lawsuit was filed.
"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!..."
He continued: " ....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."
No comments:
Post a Comment