Donald Trump's Troubled Charity Foundation To Shut Down

The troubled charitable foundation of US President Donald Trump has agreed to close his doors after charges were laid against him and others for illegally using their funds.

The measure was announced by New York State Attorney General Barbara Underwood, who will oversee the distribution of the remaining funds.

She accused Mr. Trump and his three elders of using it for personal and political purposes.

The foundation's lawyer accused her of trying to politicize the case.

• Six legal headaches for Donald Trump
• What is the problem with the Trump Foundation?

This is just one of the many court cases that currently concern Mr. Trump and his family. Others include extensive research by lawyers specializing in the alleged links between the Trump campaign and Russia led by former FBI leader Robert Mueller.

What do prosecutors say?

Ms. Underwood said that the lawsuits against Mr. Trump and his children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric would continue.

In a statement, he said there had been "a shocking pattern of illegality involving the Trump Foundation, which included unlawful coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated voluntary voluntary commitment, and so much more."

She went on to say, "This equated to the fact that the Trump Foundation operates as a simple checkbook serving Trump's political and commercial interests."

Under the agreement to close the foundation, Underwood said it could only be dissolved under judicial supervision and could only distribute its assets "to accredited organizations approved by my office".

She added, "This is an important victory for the rule of law because it is clear that there is a set of rules for all.

"We will continue to press our demands to ensure that the Trump Foundation and its directors are held accountable for their clear and repeated violations of national and federal laws."

And the triumphs?

In a statement to the BBC, Alan Futerfas, a lawyer with the Trump Foundation, a signatory to the foundation's closure agreement, said: "Contrary to NYAG's misleading statement [the Attorney General of New York] ... the The foundation is trying to dissolve and distribute their remaining holdings for worthy charities since Donald J. Trump won the 2016 presidential election.

"Unfortunately, the NYAG tried to avoid dissolution for nearly two years, depriving the needy of nearly $ 1.7 million.

"Over the past ten years, the foundation is proud to have donated approximately $ 19 million, including $ 8.25 million in personal money from the President, to more than 700 different charities, with virtually no spending. .

"The misrepresentation of NYAG this morning is a new attempt to politicize this issue."

Mr. Trump and his older children have not commented yet.

Last June, Trump reported on Twitter that he was not prepared to resolve the case, insisting that the foundation did nothing wrong.

'More pointed teeth'

Anthony Zurcher's analysis in Washington

Donald Trump's charitable foundation is being dismantled, but the headaches he has created for the president will not go away soon.

According to New York State Attorney General Barbara Underwood, her investigation into an alleged misconduct could result in multi-million dollar sanctions and sanctions against the president and his three adult children.

According to the Washington Post, Trump has frequently used his family foundation, largely financed by outside donations, as a resource to resolve trade demands and, during the 2016 presidential campaign, as a political tool.

The president quickly dismissed New York's investigation into its founding, but with Tuesday's dissolution agreement, Underwood's critics might have proven themselves.

At a minimum, they will surely reappear in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election.

How did it happen?

The state's case against the Trump Foundation was announced in the summer after a two-year investigation that began under former New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

In October 2016, Schneiderman ordered the Trump Foundation to stop raising money in New York after discovering he did not have an adequate criminal record.

President-elect Trump pledged to close the charitable foundation in December 2016 to avoid "even the appearance" of any conflict of interest.

What are the specific complaints?

A 41-page document filed with the New York Supreme Court by the Attorney General's Office in June 2018 refers to a series of alleged violations of non-profit organization laws dating back more than a decade.

Mr. Trump, who has not paid any personal funds to the foundation since 2008, was the sole signatory to the foundation's bank accounts and approved all grants.

Several pages of the document are devoted to fundraising for charities in Iowa in January 2016, which Mr. Trump decided to hold instead of participating in a televised debate with other candidates for the Republican presidency before the state caucuses. influential.

More than $ 2.8 million was donated to the Trump Foundation at this event. The petition alleges that funds raised from the public were used to promote Mr. Trump's campaign for the presidency, including on the Iowa nomination committees.

The lawsuit also alleges that the foundation paid US $ 100,000 to settle legal claims against the Trump tourist complex, Mar-a-Lago; $ 158,000 for the settlement of claims against one of your golf clubs; and $ 10,000 to buy a painting of Mr. Trump to hang on to another of his golf clubs.