BREAKING: The New York AG's Office sues Donald Trump; the Trump Foundation; and Donald Jr, Ivanka & Eric Trump, alleging their foundation engaged in “a pattern of persistent illegal conduct for more than a decade.”
by @Fahrenthold @NewYorkStateAG #Maddow wapo.st/2l8eRte?tid=ss…
by @Fahrenthold @NewYorkStateAG #Maddow wapo.st/2l8eRte?tid=ss…
Trump Foundation & its directors, Trump, Don Jr, Ivanka & Eric engaged in extensive unlawful political coordination w the Trump presidential campaign and repeated & willful self-dealing transactions to benefit Trump’s personal & business interests.
#Maddow ag.ny.gov/press-release/…
#Maddow ag.ny.gov/press-release/…
Trump illegally used the Trump Foundation’s charitable assets to pay off legal obligations, promote Trump hotels & other businesses, purchase personal items, and at Trump’s behest, provide extensive support to his 2016 presidential campaign.
#Maddow
#Maddow
The Trump Foundation raised $2.8M+ to influence the 2016 election at the direction & under the control of the Trump campaign. In violation of state & federal law, campaign staff, including Corey Lewandowski, dictated the timing, amounts & recipients of foundation grants.
#Maddow
#Maddow
In one email, Lewandowski asked if foundation money could be ready to distribute during Trump’s last campaign events before the Iowa caucuses: “Can we make some disbursements [from the proceeds of the televised fundraiser] this week while in Iowa?"
#Maddow
#Maddow
In the suit filed Thursday morning, @NewYorkStateAG asked a state judge to ban Trump from leading any other NY nonprofit for 10 years — seeking to apply a penalty usually reserved for the operators of small-time charity frauds to a US president.
#Maddow
#Maddow
The AG's investigation found that the Trump Foundation Board existed in name only: it didn't meet after 1999, set policy or criteria for choosing grant recipients, or approve of any grants.
Donald J. Trump alone made all decisions related to the Foundation.
#Maddow
Donald J. Trump alone made all decisions related to the Foundation.
#Maddow
The Trump Foundation took the money raised for veterans & spent it to benefit the campaign. "Trump's wrongful use of the Foundation to benefit his Campaign was willful & knowing.” The AG referred the allegations to the IRS & FEC for investigation.
#Maddow thebea.st/2JBgYo6?source…
#Maddow thebea.st/2JBgYo6?source…
In another case, the Trump Foundation in 2013 illegally donated $25K to a political action committee supporting then-Florida AG Pam Bondi then tried to cover its tracks by filing false reports to the IRS. That seems pretty damning.
#Maddow
#Maddow
How the IRS could punish Trump & his foundation: “People have gone to prison for stuff like this, and if I were representing someone with facts like this, I would be very worried about an indictment.” -Jenny Johnson Ware, criminal tax attorney
#Maddow nyti.ms/2ldVtLf
#Maddow nyti.ms/2ldVtLf
The DOJ can bring criminal charges that can carry jail time against ANYONE involved in campaign finance violations. If the DOJ takes up NY AG's referral on Trump's Foundation, Sessions must be forced to recuse due to his role on the Trump campaign.
#Maddow nyti.ms/2laKP89
#Maddow nyti.ms/2laKP89
