President Donald Trump's namesake charitable foundation is being shut down, in keeping with previously announced plans.
In a filing with the IRS last week, the foundation said it intends to
dissolve and is seeking approval to distribute its remaining funds. The
documents were posted publicly on Guidestar.org and reviewed by ABC
News.
"The foundation continues to cooperate with the New York attorney
general's charities division, and as previously announced by the
president, his advisers are working with the charities division to wind
up the affairs of the foundation. The foundation looks forward to
distributing its remaining assets at the earliest possible time to aid
numerous worthy charitable organizations," a spokesperson for the Trump
Foundation told ABC News.
In December, when Trump was president-elect, he announced plans to shutter the Trump Foundation "to avoid even the appearance of any conflict with my role as president."
"I have decided to continue to pursue my strong interest in philanthropy in other ways," he added.
The organization had come under scrutiny for its practices.
Last year the Trump Foundation conceded
that it gave "income or assets" to a "disqualified person" — a
prohibited practice known as self-dealing — according to a 2015 tax
filing obtained by ABC News. It was not clear from the filing how much
was given or to whom.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman
launched the investigation into the Trump Foundation in 2016 over a
donation that was made to a political fundraising group associated with
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. He ordered that the foundation stop
fundraising late last year.
In a statement Monday evening, the New York Attorney General's Office
said: "Our investigation into the Donald J. Trump Foundation remains
ongoing. Its fundraising activities remain suspended following the AG’s
notice of violation last year. As the foundation is still under
investigation by this office, it cannot legally dissolve until that
investigation is complete.”
At the end of 2016, the Trump Foundation had a little more than $970,000 in assets, according to last week's filing.
Even though his name is the basis for the charity, Trump was never the
biggest contributor, according to the organization's 990 forms for 2001
through 2014.
Trump made contributions to the foundation from 2001 to 2008, but he is
not listed as making any financial contributions since then. His
contributions ranged from $713,000 in 2004 to $30,000 in 2008; his total
contributions to his foundation are in excess of $2.7 million.
Earlier this year, the New York Attorney General's Office also launched an investigation into the Eric Trump
Foundation after questions were raised about the charity in light of a
media report that it paid large sums to use Trump-owned properties for
fundraisers.
President Trump's charitable foundation is being shut down
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November 21, 2017
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