New: Ivanka Trump ditches attorneys in fraud suit, splitting from Don Jr. and Eric

me for @Forbes

1/

forbes.com/sites/zachever… Ivanka, Don Jr., and Eric are co-defendants with their father and the Trump Org in the NY AG's fraud lawsuit.

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…

Just in--

Today NY AG Letitia James filed a motion for a preliminary injunction "seeking several measures to stop Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization’s ongoing fraudulent scheme and ensure funds are available to satisfy any disgorgement award..."

1/

ag.ny.gov/press-release/… "Attorney General James is also seeking the court’s permission to serve Mr. Trump and Eric Trump electronically, as both defendants and their counsels have refused to accept service of the complaints for almost a month. "

2/

John Ratcliffe is terminating his congressional campaign.

But not before it paid his wife $43,500.

And paid $11,000 to the firm that designed his personal website.

And repaid him $225,00 for a loan.

for @Forbes

1/

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes Ratcliffe's wife, Michele, is an attorney specializing in real estate and cyber crimes.

She doesn't appear to have any other campaign-finance experience.

The campaign paid her $43,500 to manage its sleepy books.

That's 36% of its total spending.

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…

Latest issue of Checks & Imbalances, @Forbes ***free*** newsletter on money and politics is now on the website.

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes Subscribe (again, free) at

forbes.com/newsletter/che…

Trump Hosted All These People In His Mar-A-Lago Office Where He’d Stashed Government Secrets

Here are just some of the 30 people @Forbes spotted there

1/

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes Eduardo Bolsonaro is a member of Brazil's national Congress and the son of that country's president.

He posted what he called a “recent photo” from Mar-a-Lago in October 2021. (H/T @the_peetape).

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…

The carpet makes its debut in photos of Trump's office in October 2021.

In photos from May 2021 and before, it was cream colored.

2/ Not sure if they got a deal on the carpet, but the same pattern appears to be in use at his Bedminster golf course.

3/

Updated our tracker of the lawsuits and investigations involving former President Trump

Having a hard time keeping track of the 38 lawsuits and investigations?

Let's recap!

1/

for @Forbes

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes Suits and cases related to Jan 6.

✅ House Committee investigates

✅ D.C. AG investigates

✅ Eight Capitol Police sue over injuries

✅ One Capitol Police officer sues over injuries

✅ Two D.C. police sue over injuries

✅ Two Capitol Police Officers sue over injuries

2/

Mitch McConnell is horrified, heartbroken, and praying Joni Ernst's heart is with Texas

House Ethics Committee Is Investigating Texas Republican Pat Fallon

for @forbes

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes The ethics committee did not disclose why it was investigating Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas).

But his office said the query involved his failure to report stock trades within the time required by the STOCK Act.

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…

Some highlights from the latest issue of Checks & Imbalances, @Forbes's free newsletter on money and politics.

Subscribe at

1/

forbes.com/newsletter/che… @Forbes Trump’s PAC pays Trump’s club $318,000 in one fell swoop

(Would ❤️ to have heard the negotiations about this rental.)

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…

Last week, we learned the CEO of the bank that gave Donald Trump a new $100 million mortgage on Trump Tower is a political supporter.

Turns out, the chair of the title insurer is a political backer too.

for @Forbes

1/

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes This news, BTW, went out to subscribers of Checks & Imbalances last night.

Become one too. It's free.

2/

forbes.com/checksandimbal…

A campaign filing the NRA’s PAC made last week confirmed that the group did indeed suffer a ransomware attack last fall.

for @Forbes

1/

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes In October 2021, a Russian cybercriminal group called Grief claimed to have hacked the NRA and posted 13 of the organization’s files to a site on the dark web.

@kevincollier for @NBCNews

2/

nbcnews.com/tech/security/…

Update: @Forbes' tracker of Donald Trump's legal problems now includes a suit brought by tenants of rent-controlled buildings once owned by Fred Trump.

It's just 1 of now 34 investigations and lawsuits we're monitoring.

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes Six or so cases and investigations were updated in @Forbes' rundown of all Trump's legal problems.

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…

New: Trump refinances $100 million mortgage on Trump Tower—with a bank headed by a political supporter

for @Forbes

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes The financing for the new $100 million mortgage on Trump Tower came from Axos Bank.

@AxosBank CEO Gregory Garrabrants has contributed $50,000 to Republican campaigns, including $9,600 in support of Trump.

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…

GOP Donor Seeking Bankruptcy Protection For His Home Walked Daughter Down The Aisle At Mar-a-Lago

for @Forbes

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes Remember Richard Kofoed?

He's the serial entrepreneur who—

💰 filed for personal bankruptcy

💰 was accused of embezzling millions

💰 donated $800,000 to GOP

💰 moved next door to Mar-a-Lago

💰 filed for bankruptcy for LLC that owns his CA home

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…

Former Rep. John Ratcliffe’s campaign paid $11,000 to the firm that designed his new personal website.

The expenditure could violate @FEC rules.

Here's how @forbes was able to report the story—

1/

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @FEC @Forbes In July 2021, a tipster pointed out that Trump's former DNI John Ratcliffe was paying his wife $3,000/month to manage the books of his old campaign.

FEC filings confirmed it, and we reported it.

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…

Former Rep. John Ratcliffe’s campaign paid $11,000 to the firm that designed his new personal website.

@Forbes found no evidence that firm did any work on behalf of Ratcliffe’s old campaign.

The expenditure could violate @FEC rules.

1/

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes @FEC John Ratcliffe's old campaign has paid his wife $30,000 to manage its books, as @Forbes reported last week.

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…

Yesterday @Forbes published one of the wildest stories I've ever worked on:

"Trump Donor Allegedly Used Embezzled Money To Support The Former President’s Campaign And Lead A Lavish Lifestyle"

Here's how it came about—

1/

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes All of the facts and allegations in this article were available (that is, it was an open-source investigation). #osint

It was just a matter of finding them.

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…

A Facebook whistleblower is about to testify before a Senate subcommittee on protecting kids online.

11 of the panel's 12 members have accepted political contributions from @Facebook.

1/

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Facebook Watch Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testify before the Senate subcommittee here:

2/

commerce.senate.gov/2021/10/protec…

Political contributions From Facebook's top brass exceed $3.9 million

vi @forbes

1/

forbes.com/sites/zachever… @Forbes .@Facebook lists 24 executives on its website.

21 of them have donated to US political campaigns.

The contributions total $3.9 million.

2/

forbes.com/sites/zachever…