The New York attorney general has filed a lawsuit against the Donald J Trump charitable foundation, as well as Donald Trump himself and three of his children, claiming he violated state charity and federal election laws.
It alleges that “the Trumps used charitable assets as ‘little more than a chequebook for payments to not-for-profits from Mr Trump’ and his companies”, The Guardian reports.
Other allegations include the claim that Trump Foundation funds and assets were used to pay for a painting of Donald Trump to be hung at one of his golf clubs, and that other assets were used to settle legal claims against another of Trump’s clubs.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“The foundation is little more than an empty shell that functions with no oversight from its board of directors,” the lawsuit alleges. “Trump ran the foundation according to whim, rather than law.”
Barbara Underwood, the state attorney general, is “asking a court to dissolve the Trump Foundation and wants $2.8 million in restitution, plus additional penalties”, CNN reports.
The lawsuit is also seeking to ban Trump from serving as a director of any New York not-for-profit for ten years, and a one-year ban for Donald Trump Jr, Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump.
The president has dismissed the claims made in the lawsuit as the work of “sleazy New York Democrats”, and has vowed not to pay the restitution or settle the lawsuit out of court.
But the New York attorney general has “significant investigatory and prosecutorial power”, says the BBC. “There’s no telling what she might turn up” if she begins looking deeper into Trump’s “more questionable charitable activities”.
-
5 hawkish cartoons about Pete Hegseth's meeting of military muscleCartoons Artists take on fat generals, bravery medals, and more
-
Why are American conservatives clashing with Pope Leo?Talking Points Comments on immigration and abortion draw backlash
-
9 haunted hotels where things definitely go bump in the nightThe Week Recommends Don’t fear these spirited spots. Embrace them.
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
‘This isn’t just semantics’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Miami Freedom Tower’s MAGA library squeezeTHE EXPLAINER Plans to place Donald Trump’s presidential library next to an iconic symbol of Florida’s Cuban immigrant community has South Florida divided
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protestersSpeed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsionSpeed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
-
‘Used correctly, the drug is safe’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
