New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced on Tuesday that Donald Trump has agreed to shut down the Trump Foundation, his “charity” organization, after an investigation by her office found “a shocking pattern of illegality involving the Trump Foundation—including unlawful coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated and willful self-dealing, and much more.”
Trump using his foundation as a front for personal ends was well documented by a Washington Post investigation in 2016, but in light of the settlement, let’s review some fun old and new facts about what the Trump Foundation is accused of trying to pass off as charity:
- “Donating” the bare minimum amount of $7 to the Boy Scouts, which was equivalent to the enrollment fee that would have been required to get his then-11-year-old son, Donald Trump Jr., into the organization.
- Giving the Central Park Conservancy a “gift” of $264,231, which went to restoring a fountain outside of the Trump Plaza Hotel.
- Letting Trump’s campaign manager Corey Lewandowski control the flow of the foundation’s donations.
- Buying a $20,000 portrait of Donald Trump, which the charity then listed as an “asset” worth $700 in 2017 and $0 in 2018.
- Donating $25,000 to Florida Attorney General Pamela Bondi, then lying to the IRS about it.
- Using funds to settle legal disputes involving Trump’s private companies.
Rest in peace to the Trump Foundation—may it rest in philanthropic hell.
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