US President Donald Trump has lashed out at New York democrats over their efforts to shut down his charitable foundation.
Trump tweeted on Wednesday that his charity has “done great work and given away lots of money”, but failed to account for the large amounts of money the charity spent on auction items, such as two large portraits of Trump valued at $30,000.
The Trump Foundation has done great work and given away lots of money, both mine and others, to great charities over the years – with me taking NO fees, rent, salaries etc. Now, as usual, I am getting slammed by Cuomo and the Dems in a long running civil lawsuit started by…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018
New York Attorney-General, Barbara Underwood, announced that the foundation will be dissolved while it fights a state lawsuit accusing it of illegally operating as a part of Trump’s businesses and political campaign, including an incident in which Trump gave money to veterans in the lead up to the Iowa caucuses.
Trump tweeted that Underwood “does little else but rant, rave & politic against me” by going through with the lawsuit. He called former Attorney-General Eric Schneiderman a “sleazebag” and complained that the State Attorney-General-elect, Letitia James, “openly campaigned on a GET TRUMP agenda”.
…sleazebag AG Eric Schneiderman, who has since resigned over horrific women abuse, when I wanted to close the Foundation so as not to be in conflict with politics. Shady Eric was head of New Yorkers for Clinton, and refused to even look at the corrupt Clinton Foundation……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018
Trump also criticised New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who wasn’t involved in the lawsuit but praised it in a tweet:
“We will never be treated fairly by these people….a total double standard of ‘justice’.”
Underwood and the lawyers for the Trump foundation agreed on Tuesday on a court-supervised process for shutting down the charity and distributing about $US1.7 million in remaining funds to other not-for-profit groups.
The deal comes even as Trump continues to fight allegations he misused the charity’s assets to resolve business disputes and boost his run for the White House.
….In any event, it goes on and on & the new AG, who is now being replaced by yet another AG (who openly campaigned on a GET TRUMP agenda), does little else but rant, rave & politic against me. Will never be treated fairly by these people – a total double standard of “justice.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018
Underwood’s lawsuit, filed last spring, alleges that Trump and three of his children had illegally operated the foundation as an extension of his business. Underwood said the foundation operated as “little more than a chequebook” to serve Trump.
Lawyers for the foundation have said any infractions were minor.