Donald Trump and his children have long painted themselves as people who gave money to a number of charities. In July of 2016, Eric Trump said his father has given away, “millions and millions and millions of dollars.” Thanks to a number of articles written by the Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold, those numbers began to come under dispute.
In October of 2018, New York Attorney General’s office filed suit against the Trump Organization, alleging charity abuse. Today, the organization agreed to pay the state by $2 million to settle the case.
Bloomberg’s Laura Litvan today posted, “A judge in New York orders President Donald Trump to pay $2 million for misusing his charitable foundation.”
New York (AP) — A judge in New York orders President Donald Trump to pay $2 million for misusing his charitable foundation.
— Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) November 7, 2019
This is a new stance from the President. When the case was announced last year, he tweeted, “The sleazy New York Democrats, and their now disgraced (and run out of town) A.G. Eric Schneiderman, are doing everything they can to sue me on a foundation that took in $18,800,000 and gave out to charity more money than it took in, $19,200,000. I won’t settle this case!”
The sleazy New York Democrats, and their now disgraced (and run out of town) A.G. Eric Schneiderman, are doing everything they can to sue me on a foundation that took in $18,800,000 and gave out to charity more money than it took in, $19,200,000. I won’t settle this case!…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 14, 2018
The suit not only claimed that the Trump Organization has persistently abused charity laws, it alleges that the charity also coordinated with Trump’s Presidential campaign.
The foundations lawyers disagree with the case, saying, “all of the money raised by the Foundation went to charitable causes to assist those most in need.”
They also accused New York Attorney General Letitia James of abusing her office to punish the Trumps. James promised in November of 2018, “As the next attorney general of [Trump’s] home state, I will be shining a bright light into every dark corner of his real estate dealings, and every dealing, demanding truthfulness at every turn.”