Trump Foundation Violated Tax Laws, Paid IRS Penalty

[The Other Castro]

Well look at that. A Presidential candidate's foundation got in trouble for some wrongdoing after all.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/09/01/trump-pays-irs-a-penalty-for-his-foundation-violating-rules-with-gift-to-florida-attorney-general/?postshare=1571472754914051&tid=ss_tw

[The Other Castro]

Today's email news in comparison with this story really puts into context the absurdity of the situation. If Clinton had used her foundation to bribe someone into not investigating a scam she was running, she wouldn't even be in the race right now.

[The Other Castro]

I built a rough two-part timeline to help explain this situation:

2013:
-Florida AG Pam Bondi considers investigation of fraud at Trump University
-Donald J. Trump Foundation donates $25,000 to campaign group "And Justice for All" backing Pam Bondi's reelection four days after Bondi's office publicly announced she was considering joining a New York state probe of Trump University's activities.
-Trump Foundation does not notify the IRS of this political donation.
-Trump's foundation instead lists a nonexistant $25,000 donation to a Kansas charity with a name similar to that of Bondi's political group (named "Justice for All").
-Pam Bondi declines to pursue the case.

2016:
-The Washington Post and watchdog groups raise questions about the donation
-Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (watchdog group) files complaint with IRS noting that, as a registered nonprofit, the Trump Foundation was not allowed to make political donations.
-The Washington Post reports the Kansas error that had the effect of obscuring the political gift from the IRS.
-Trump's business said it was unaware of any of these mistakes until March, when it heard from the watchdog group and The Washington Post.
-Trump filed paperwork informing the IRS of the political gift and paid an excise tax equal to 10 percent of its value ($2500).
-Jeffrey McConney — senior vice president and controller at the Trump Organization, said Trump had also personally reimbursed the Trump Foundation for $25,000
-AP publishes its findings on June 6th
-Washington Post publishes its findings on September 1st

Where is the investigation? Where is the 24/7 yearlong coverage? Nowhere.

[The Other Castro]

The Washington Post continues to be one of the only papers to cover this:

"Trump, dismissing allegations of impropriety, says donation to Fla. AG came with no strings"

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/09/05/trump-dismissing-allegations-of-impropriety-says-donation-to-fla-ag-came-with-no-strings/?postshare=9611473107847776&tid=ss_tw

[The Other Castro]

It gets deeper now...Trump hosted a fundraiser for Bondi immediately after Bondi dropped the fraud investigation into Trump U. Realizing how much trouble she was in, Bondi tried to give the money back but Trump refused.

This makes Trump's claim of not talking to Bondi pants on fire. Pretty much a textbook pay for play

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-pam-bondi-trump-university_us_57cf2c6ce4b0a48094a64854?section=&

From that same story: Trump charged his own campaign roughly $140,000 for using his mansion while only charging $4,855.65 for Bondi's fundraiser.