Monday, June 12, 2017

New York Attorney General Investigating Eric Trump Foundation

New York's Attorney General sued Donald Trump's for-profit college for fraud.  Trump settled the suit for $25 million after boasting that he would not settle the suit.  An article in Forbes about the Eric Trump Foundation has led to an investigation into its operation as charity.  It started as a fund raiser for St.Jude's hospital which provides care to children with cancer.  It held fundraisers at one the Trump golf courses.  The foundation told donors the use of the Trump golf course was free.  Trump was livid when he learned that his son's charity was not billed for the services of his golf course.  He demanded payment for the services, which may have been excessive, and the board of the Eric Trump Foundation was stacked with members of the Trump Organization.  The expenses of the foundation increased rapidly after the board was restructured.  Most of the additional expenses ended up in the Trump Organization.

The Donald Trump Foundation, which was recently closed, was also involved in questionable transactions with the Eric Trump Foundation.  Funds from the Trump Foundation found their way to Eric Trump Foundation which began to provide funds to charitable causes other than St Judes.  The new charities had relationships with the Trump Organization.  They held fund raisers at Trump golf courses.  The Trump Foundation is still under investigation for misuse of funds.

The Attorney's general for DC and Maryland have just filed suit against the Trump Organization for a failure to separate Trump's business interests from his position as the US President.  Its hard to see how Trump can avoid being bogged down in legal issues that continue to multiply against him.  He also just lost another appeal against his travel ban that singled out Muslim nations.  Time Magazine just reported that Trump's disapproval rating has risen to 59%.  Only 36% of voters approve of his performance as president.  That, of course, represents his base that he uses to hold Republican's in Congress hostage to him.  The Republican Party cannot survive without Trump's base.

No comments:

Post a Comment