2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumTrump Foundation faces controversial new allegations
Posted with permission.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-foundation-faces-controversial-new-allegations?cid=sm_fb_maddow
Trump Foundation faces controversial new allegations
09/13/16 08:00 AM
By Steve Benen
For months, Donald Trumps foundation, ostensibly created to help the New York billionaire manage his charitable giving, has faced a series of allegations, most notably an illegal campaign contribution in support of Floridas attorney general while she was considering an investigation into Trumps so-called university.
But the Washington Posts David Fahrenthold, whos done exceptional work digging into the Trump Foundation, isnt done with this story. The Post published this report over the weekend:
For one thing, nearly all of its money comes from people other than Trump. In tax records, the last gift from Trump was in 2008. Since then, all of the donations have been other peoples money an arrangement that experts say is almost unheard of for a family foundation.
Trump then takes that money and generally does with it as he pleases. In many cases, he passes it on to other charities, which often are under the impression that it is Trumps own money.
Its a story so odd, its almost hard to believe. The point of creating the Trump Foundation in the first place was to create a vessel for Trump to support charitable work. And while its true that the foundation has made contributions to worthy causes in recent years, the Posts investigation nevertheless found that the Donald J. Trump Foundation has distributed other peoples money not Donald J. Trumps. The self-professed billionaire solicited funds from allies, and then distributed the money under his own foundations name.
A spokesperson for the Republicans campaign insisted yesterday that Trump has given away tens of millions of dollars over his life, but pressed for details by the Washington Post, the campaign offered no details, and declined to explain how much of the money Trump gave away came from his own pocket.
And then theres that giant portrait of Trump bought with foundation money.
He painted Trump.
Melania Trump bid $10,000.
As it happens, nobody tried to outbid Trumps wife, who nevertheless increased her bid to $20,000. She won the auction and the Trump Foundation paid for the portrait.
The painter told the Post, I understand it went to one of his golf courses.
For much of the political world, the presidential candidate with controversial ties to a charitable foundation is Hillary Clinton. Theres ample evidence, however, that its her rival with a real scandal on his hands.
catbyte
(34,453 posts)words about "deplorables", pneumonia, and some unapproved gift by the Algerian government to the Clinton Foundation for Haiti Earthquake relief. They chuckled over Don the Con's latest round of lies and tsk tsked over his comment about blowing up an Iranian boat for "gesturing." I am so discouraged.
tavernier
(12,401 posts)You just wrote my exact reply!
Nobody in the media cares. After trump is elected, they will all be hurt and surprised and outraged that people will blame them.
catbyte
(34,453 posts)babylonsister
(171,092 posts)collective faces often enough they'll care. Rachel has started that ball rolling.
Coyotl
(15,262 posts)I'm surprised they didn't run with the new Trump HQ opening.
Secret Trump Headquarters Opens To Public.
duncang
(1,907 posts)You see stuff like a transfer of funds between his and his son's foundation. Why? Is it to cover money missing? Is there some way to profit off it?
greymattermom
(5,754 posts)and Trump?? writes off the contribution to the next charity. Is that legal?