Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence did not want to discuss why the Donald J. Trump Foundation spent a quarter of a million charity dollars to benefit his running mate, Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump and his businesses.
So he tried to attack The Washington Post’s reporting on the subject. It didn’t work out so well.
On Fox News Sunday today, host Chris Wallace closed his interview with Pence by asking about The Washington Post’s detailed report on how the Trump Foundation used money that was collected for charity to benefit himself and his businesses.
Liberal America previously reported on Trump’s foundation shadiness. In one shocking example, Trump purchased a $20,000 self-portrait, courtesy of his charity donors. In other cases, Trump used foundation money, also collected from other people, to settle lawsuits against his businesses.
This was Fox News so it was no surprise that Wallace didn’t bring up the $20,000 self-portrait. But he did question $250,000 spent on settling lawsuits. He also pointed out that such transactions were likely illegal.
Pence first blamed “sketchy” reporting:
“‘I think the Trump Foundation has responded to those questions and will continue to answer any issues that arise. I know that The Washington Post reporting on this has been very, very sketchy. They’ve been found to be factually incorrect on a number of bases.”
Wallace wasn’t buying it. He cited $100,000 spent in foundation money to settle a case against Trump’s for-profit Mar-A-Lago club. Wallace also noted that Trump has not contributed any money to his own charity since 2008. Wallace asked:
“What kind of charity is that, sir?”
Indeed.
Pence quickly gave up on attacking the reporting. Instead, he tried to change the subject:
“Well, I know that the Trump Foundation, the family, can answer all of those questions about that specific instance and others and they have. I think the American people are even more interested…”
That didn’t work either. Wallace interrupted to say that there has been no explanation.
So, finally, Pence decided to distance himself from Trump, play the media victim and change the subject to Hillary Clinton:
“Well, look, these answers are all fair game, Chris. But I just wish there was as much interest in the activities of the Clinton Foundation, that we know accepted tens of millions of dollars from foreign countries and foreign donors who were then given access to Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state.”
Pence got plenty of airtime to continue attacking the Clinton Foundation.
That was the only subject he wanted to discuss.
Watch it below, from the September 25, 2016 Fox News Sunday:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXgNDswMmnw
Featured Image: Screenshot Via YouTube Video.
