Trump's attorney tried to get him out of certifying his 2016 financial disclosure


President Trump's attorneys tried to get Trump excused from certifying that his 2016 personal finance disclosure is "true, complete, and correct," The Associated Press has learned based on letters obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request. "Attorney Sheri Dillon said she saw no need for Trump to sign [and certify] his 2016 personal financial disclosure because he is filing voluntarily this year," the AP writes.
The documents include information about Trump's income and assets during much of the general election and transition period. They don't include information about his rate of income tax or charitable giving, as a tax document would show.
Office of Government Ethics Director Walter Shaub refused the request of Trump's attorney, though, saying that the office would only work with Dillon "on the condition that the president is committed to certifying that the contents of his report are true, complete, and correct." Dillon apparently agreed, saying Trump would "sign and file" the documents by mid-June.
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"President Trump welcomes the opportunity to provide this optional disclosure to the public, and hopes to file it shortly," she wrote.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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