The Daily Beast is reporting that
The Trump Foundation, Donald Trump’s nonprofit organization, is under fire for allegedly operating as more of a political slush fund than a charity. The foundation is accused of violating rules prohibiting it from engaging in politics—prompting ethics watchdogs to call for public investigations.
When the “Trump Foundation” called to arrange that donations be presented at Trump rallies, it was really Trump campaign staffers that were making the arrangement. The sketchiness of it all was enough that one veteran charity was too uncomfortable to take the donation at a Trump rally.
Earlier this year, Howard told the Daily Beast he received a call from a figure affiliated with the Trump campaign, who said that Trump would like to present them with a six-figure check at a Londonderry, New Hampshire, rally right before the Granite State’s primary.
Howard, concerned that being presented with money by a political candidate at a political rally might jeopardize his charity’s nonprofit status, called an expert in the state’s attorney general’s office, who confirmed his suspicions.
Seems like one more nail in the Trump campaign, but it also seems like the kind of story that has facts and perhaps clear enough regulations were violated to make this story blow up even bigger. Especially since the Trump Foundation gave the donation to Florida AG Bondi right before the Trump University suit investigation was dropped.
CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) has filed a complaint against the Trump Foundation over the contribution to Bondi in March, claiming that the charity made an illegal political donation and failed to disclose it to the IRS; and Florida State Sen. Dwight Bullard has written to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, asking for the Justice Department to investigate the donation.
