While the Associated Press was busy looking into the Clinton Foundation, and finding nothing out of the ordinary, Washington Post reporter David Fehrenthold has been investigating the Trump Foundation. Most recently, Fehrenthold found that the Trump charity made an illegal campaign donation in 2013, probably in exchange for political favors.
Trump’s foundation donated $25,000 to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s campaign. The foundation made this contribution at the time that Bondi was one of seven attorneys investigating Trump University for fraud. Bondi requested a donation from Trump, and shortly after she received one, she dropped the investigation.
This donation was completely illegal, since non-profits are not allowed to make political donations. It appears Trump’s foundation attempted to cover up its illegal activity by fudging its IRS report for that year.
Bondi’s political group is called “And Justice For All.” Trump’s foundation claimed it had donated to a Kansas charity called “Justice for All” in 2013, and did not report its donation to Bondi’s group. Trump’s foundation, in fact, never donated to the Kansas charity.
Jeffrey McConney, senior vice president and controller at the Trump Organization, said:
“It was just an honest mistake. It wasn’t done intentionally to hide a political donation, it was just an error.”
Trump’s business claimed it was unaware of the “mistake” until this past March. This year, Trump paid the IRS a $2,500 penalty for giving the illegal donation.
Under IRS rules, however, the Trump charity must not only pay the IRS the penalty, it must also seek to get back the donated money. And that has not happened.
The treasurer of Bondi’s political group says she tried to send a refund check this past spring when she learned the donation was illegal. The Trump Foundation refused to accept it. Trump has apparently reimbursed his foundation with a personal check.
This illegal donation is not the only fishy activity Fehrenthold has uncovered. He also found that there is no record of Trump donating any money to his own foundation since 1988.
Look at the shift at @realdonaldtrump's Foundation. Before 06: mostly Trump's own $. Afterward: other people's $. https://t.co/0cSseYdVUn
— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) September 2, 2016
So, while all eyes are Clinton, the music plays quietly in the background… gradually getting louder… and louder.
Featured image from Reuters video.
