If highlighting Donald Trump’s xenophobia, racism, sexism, fascism, ignorance, temper, hypocrisy, or overall derangement hasn’t dented his popularity, it’s not about to start. Instead, there appear to be two stories with staying power: Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns, and what sure as hell looks like extreme abuse of his charitable foundation.
The Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold has done Pulitzer-worthy investigation into the latter, uncovering an operation that for years required Trump to spend none of his own money, but to claim millions in personal giving, even as other people’s money was being spent on shiny baubles for him, like Tim Tebow memorabilia and a six-foot tall painting of himself.
Fahrenthold’s latest look into the shady-as-shit Trump Foundation examines how Trump has used the non-profit’s coffers to settle lawsuits against his for-profit businesses. This would appear to be illegal, but even if you put the laws aside, this is incredible:
In 2010, a man named Martin Greenberg hit a hole-in-one on the 13th hole while playing in a charity tournament at Trump’s course in Westchester County, N.Y.
Greenberg won a $1 million prize. Briefly.
Later, Greenberg was told that he had won nothing. The prize’s rules required that the shot had to go 150 yards. But Trump’s course had allegedly made the hole too short.
Greenberg sued.
Eventually, court papers show, Trump’s golf course signed off on a settlement that required it to make a donation of Martin Greenberg’s choosing. Then, on the day that the parties informed the court they had settled their case, a $158,000 donation was sent to the Martin Greenberg Foundation.
That money came from the Trump Foundation, according to the tax filings of both Trump’s and Greenberg’s foundations.
The man’s golf course was rigged like a damn state fair game! For a charity tournament! Trump oscillates between carny and supervillain so quickly, it’s no longer possible to tell the difference.
