President Donald Trump , his sons and daughter, were accused Thursday of "persistently illegal conduct" at their family foundation, in a lawsuit alleging Trump misused charity funds to finance everything from his election campaign to a portrait of himself.The suit filed by New York State Attorney General Barbara Underwood accuses the Donald J. Trump foundation of "extensive unlawful political coordination" with the Republican's 2016 campaign, and "repeated and willful self-dealing transactions to benefit Mr. Trump's personal and business interests," violating laws governing non-profit foundations.According to the suit, the real estate tycoon used foundation funds to settle lawsuits, promote his Trump-branded hotels, and for personal spending -- including the purchase of a portrait that was then mounted on the wall at one of his golf clubs.The civil lawsuit, filed on Trump's 72nd birthday, marked a new addition to the legal woes facing the White House, ranging from lawsuits from two women claiming affairs with Trump, to the sprawling probe into his campaign's ties with Russia and obstruction by Special Counsel Robert Mueller But while it carries the threat of multi-million dollar financial penalties, and the closure of the charity, the New York suit is unlikely to lead to criminal charges against the president or his children, or to strengthen the case of those seeking his impeachment.Trump branded the lawsuit a "ridiculous case" drummed up by "sleazy New York Democrats" and indicated he will fight it.He accused prosecutors of "doing everything they can to sue me on a foundation that took in $18,800,000 and gave out to charity more money than it took in, $19,200,000. The Donald J. Trump Foundation “was little more than a checkbook for payments from Mr. Trump or his businesses to nonprofits, regardless of their purpose or legality,” Democratic AG Barbara Underwood said as she sued to dissolve the foundation and seek $2.8 million in restitution. "This is not how private foundations should function and my office intends to hold the foundation and its directors accountable for its misuse of charitable assets," she said in a statement.The lawsuit paints a picture of habitual misuse of foundation funds for years, signed off on by Trump, who was president of the thinly staffed charity.That included the January 2016 charity event which the Trump campaign, using the foundation, put on for veterans. Trump's campaign director at the time, Corey Lewandowski, "in violation of state and federal law," then "dictated the timing, amounts, and recipients of grants by the Foundation to non-profits," the AG's office said.
The attorney general of New York announces she is suing the Donald J. Trump Foundation and its directors, President Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump.