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Trump's campaign on the defensive in several fronts: tax elusion and fundraising

Tuesday, October 4th 2016 - 04:59 UTC
Full article 63 comments
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's said the Trump Foundation was violating a state law requiring charitable organizations to register with the Charities Bureau. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's said the Trump Foundation was violating a state law requiring charitable organizations to register with the Charities Bureau.
 Trump's campaign has suggested that the probe launched by Schneiderman, a Democrat, was politically motivated. Trump's campaign has suggested that the probe launched by Schneiderman, a Democrat, was politically motivated.

New York's attorney general ordered Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's charitable foundation to immediately stop fundraising in the state, warning that a failure to do so would be a “continuing fraud.”

  For Trump, the cease-and-desist order was the latest in a series of blows that has sent his campaign reeling. The New York businessman and his aides spent much of the weekend pushing back against suggestions that he may not have paid U.S. federal income taxes for almost 20 years.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office said the Donald J. Trump Foundation was violating a state law requiring charitable organizations that solicit outside donations to register with the office's Charities Bureau.

The order followed a series of reports in The Washington Post that suggested improprieties by the foundation, including using its funds to settle legal disputes involving Trump businesses.

“The failure immediately to discontinue solicitation and to file information and reports required under Article 7-A with the Charities Bureau shall be deemed to be a continuing fraud upon the people of the state of New York,” according to a letter dated on Friday that the office posted online on Monday.

Trump's campaign has suggested that the probe launched by Schneiderman, a Democrat, was politically motivated.

While again putting Trump's campaign on the defensive, the order could also undercut his efforts to make the Clinton Foundation, the family charity of Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton, a primary target in his campaign against her.

Trump has sought to paint the Clinton Foundation as a “pay-to-play” operation under which the former secretary of state and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, rewarded big donors to the foundation with access.

The scrutiny of the Trump Foundation came as the Republican candidate was dealing with a torrent of bad news, including his shaky performance in first debate with Clinton on Sept. 26 and the release by the New York Times of tax records that showed Trump taking an almost US$1 billion loss in 1995 that may have allowed him to avoid paying federal income taxes for up to 18 years.

In its series on the Trump Foundation, The Washington Post reported that Trump may have violated U.S. Internal Revenue Service rules against “self-dealing” by using foundation money to purchase two portraits of himself, which were then hung at his private golf clubs in New York and Florida.

The newspaper also said that Trump may have improperly used the foundation to settle legal disputes, including one at the his Palm Beach, Florida estate; diverted income from his business to the charity to avoid paying income tax; and donated foundation money to support Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, a Republican, who was considering launching an investigation into Trump University, Trump’s for-profit education venture. The foundation ended up paying a $2,500 fine to the IRS for that donation.

 

Categories: Politics, United States.

Top Comments

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  • DemonTree

    @49 chronic
    “When did enforcing laws become a bad thing?”

    When the enforcement of the law depends on who is in power.

    When a presidential candidate threatens to jail someone who has not been charged with anything, let alone convicted.

    When the leader of a country abuses the law to persecute their political opponents.

    Think about the sort of countries where politicians are in jail on trumped up charges (hah!). You really want to be like them?

    @51 ChrisR
    Would you vote for Trump if you were American?

    This is a candidate who has no coherent policies, no regard whatsoever for the truth, no experience, he's happy to say anything, do anything, abuse anyone if it will get him votes.

    He's such a great businessman that despite inheriting millions of dollars he's been bankrupt 4 times, and he cares so much for his country that he paid no tax whatsoever for 18 years.

    And you hate Clinton.

    Oct 10th, 2016 - 06:08 pm +1
  • ElaineB

    I guess we all knew when he repeatedly threw the accusation of 'crooked' at Clinton he was projecting and distracting. He thinks he is above the law and that is a mistake for anyone to make.

    Is this the nastiest U.S. election campaign?

    Oct 04th, 2016 - 08:59 am 0
  • Clyde15

    Are we surprised at this revelation ? Eh, NO !

    Oct 04th, 2016 - 09:19 am 0
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