New York91裸聊视频檚 attorney general filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing Donald Trump of illegally using money from his charitable foundation to settle disputes involving his business empire and to burnish his image during his run for the White House.
The president blasted the case as politically motivated. The lawsuit seeks $2.8 million in restitution and the dissolution of the foundation.
The two-year investigation detailed a closely co-ordinated effort between Trump91裸聊视频檚 campaign and the foundation to promote his political career by giving out big grants of other91裸聊视频檚 people money to veterans organizations during the run-up to the Iowa caucuses, the first presidential nominating contest of 2016, the suit says.
91裸聊视频淭he foundation91裸聊视频檚 grants made Mr. Trump and the campaign look charitable and increased the candidate91裸聊视频檚 profile to Republican primary voters and among important constituent groups,91裸聊视频� Democratic Attorney General Barbara Underwood91裸聊视频檚 lawsuit said.
It accused the foundation of 91裸聊视频渋mproper and extensive political activity, repeated and wilful self-dealing transactions, and failure to follow basic fiduciary obligations.91裸聊视频�
In a couple of tweets, Trump called the case 91裸聊视频渞idiculous.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚 won91裸聊视频檛 settle this case!91裸聊视频� he wrote.
READ MORE: Robert De Niro apologizes to Canadians for Trump91裸聊视频檚 recent comments
The 31-year-old foundation said that it has given more than $19 million to charitable causes while keeping expenses minimal, and that Trump and his companies have contributed more than $8 million.
It already announced its intention to dissolve more than a year ago, the charity added in a statement.
91裸聊视频淭his is politics at its very worst,91裸聊视频� the statement said, noting that the former New York attorney general who began the investigation, Democrat Eric Schneiderman, was a vocal Trump opponent.
Schneiderman resigned last month after he was accused of physically abusing women he dated; he denied the allegations. Trump91裸聊视频檚 tweets also pointed to Schneiderman91裸聊视频檚 resignation.
....Schneiderman, who ran the Clinton campaign in New York, never had the guts to bring this ridiculous case, which lingered in their office for almost 2 years. Now he resigned his office in disgrace, and his disciples brought it when we would not settle.
91裸聊视频� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Schneiderman started investigating the charity and ordered it to stop fundraising in New York in 2016, after The Washington Post reported that the foundation91裸聊视频檚 spending personally benefited the presidential candidate.
Some of those expenditures, uncovered by The Post, were cited in the lawsuit, including a $100,000 payment to settle legal claims against Trump91裸聊视频檚 Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida; $158,000 to resolve a suit over a prize for a hole-in-one contest at Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor, New York; and $10,000 to buy a 6-foot (1.8-meter) portrait of Trump at a charity auction.
After New York91裸聊视频檚 attorney general began investigating, Trump91裸聊视频檚 business empire reimbursed the foundation for the money spent to settle the business disputes. And the painting, which was hanging at a Trump golf club in the Miami area, was returned to the foundation.
Underwood, a career government lawyer who was appointed after Schneiderman91裸聊视频檚 resignation and has said she doesn91裸聊视频檛 intend to run for election, said she has referred her findings to the IRS and the Federal Election Commission for possible further action.
In exchange for their tax-exempt status, charities are required to follow certain rules, among them a strict prohibition against getting involved in political campaigns.
The Trump Foundation91裸聊视频檚 mission says its funds are to be used 91裸聊视频渆xclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational purposes,91裸聊视频� either directly or through other organizations, according to the lawsuit.
In keeping with federal tax rules, the charity91裸聊视频檚 incorporation documents say none of its resources can directly or indirectly go to the benefit its directors or officers and none of its activities can benefit any political candidate or campaign.
Trump91裸聊视频檚 foundation was 91裸聊视频渃o-opted91裸聊视频� by his presidential campaign, particularly in the run-up to the Iowa caucuses, the lawsuit says.
Spurning a Republican candidates91裸聊视频� debate on Jan. 28, 2016 91裸聊视频� four days before the caucuses 91裸聊视频� Trump instead participated in a televised rally and fundraiser for veterans organizations.
The event raised approximately $5.6 million, about $2.8 million of which went to the Trump Foundation; the rest was given directly by donors to veterans groups, the lawsuit says.
Then the foundation 91裸聊视频渃eded control91裸聊视频� over the money to campaign staff members, the suit says.
91裸聊视频淚s there any way we can make some disbursements this week while in Iowa?91裸聊视频� then-campaign manager Corey Lewandowski wrote in an email to the chief financial officer of Trump91裸聊视频檚 business, the Trump Organization.
Lewandowski did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
The foundation went on to make five grants of $100,000 before the caucuses, with Trump presenting giant checks at a series of campaign rallies, to applause and praise from such figures as Jerry Falwell Jr., the president of Liberty University and son of the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, who was a force in GOP politics.
91裸聊视频淗ow often do you see a presidential candidate giving money away instead of taking it?91裸聊视频� the younger Falwell told the crowd at a Trump rally.
The oversized checks bore Trump91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淢ake America Great Again91裸聊视频� campaign slogan along with the foundation91裸聊视频檚 address.
Trump didn91裸聊视频檛 give any money personally at the time, but several months later, after media pressure, followed through on a pledge to donate $1 million.
Underwood91裸聊视频檚 suit was filed the same day the Justice Department91裸聊视频檚 inspector general was due to release a report on former FBI Director James Comey91裸聊视频檚 handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation.
The Associated Press
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