712 Digital Group - top

Trump charity activities ahead of ’16 Iowa Caucuses cited in lawsuit

News

June 15th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

New York’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit accusing the Donald J. Trump Foundation of illegal conduct — and the lawsuit mentions “at least five” checks distributed to Iowa groups before the 2016 Caucuses.  On January 28th of 2016, Trump held a televised fundraiser for veterans charities at Drake University in Des Moines. It was Trump’s counter-programming to a Fox News debate for G-O-P presidential candidates that Trump skipped. The money Trump raised that night went into the Trump Foundation account. According to the lawsuit, Trump’s campaign staff then improperly directed the money to veterans organizations.

A news release from the New York Attorney General’s office features a photo of Trump making a one-hundred thousand-dollar ($100,000) donation to a veterans’ charity in Sioux City. Trump announced the donation the day before the Iowa Caucuses. A federal law prohibits tax-exempt charities from engaging in political activities. President Trump said on Twitter that the lawsuit is political motivated by “sleazy New York Democrats.”

(Radio Iowa)