Fahrenthold posts image of the check from Trump's foundation for the portrait of himself

[democrattotheend]

https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold/status/776163260865314816

Here's the check that @realdonaldtrump sent for that painting. Clearly came from his foundation, w/his signature.


In another tweet, he says that:

Tax laws bar charity leaders, like @realDonaldTrump, from using charity money to buy things for themselves.

Fahrenthold is the WashPost investigative journalist who wrote the Trump foundation story. Not sure what to make of this.

[Angry Dragon]

1. Think cheat and thief

Donald Trump in four words or less

[pkdu]

2. Thats a pretty high check number...wonder what else he's been paying for from the slush fund , er

"Charity" account.

[LisaM]

9. You can start a checking account at any number you want.

I remember opening an account once - I think it was a new checking account where I already banked - and they asked what number I wanted to start my checks with.

[TheBlackAdder]

13. I opened it at 100. My bank says some like to open it higher to give the impression of an old acct.

[randome]

3. But it wasn't for himself, it was for posterity.

Fahrenthold is on the case!
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
Leonard Cohen, Anthem (1992)[/center][/font][hr]

[Coyotl]

4. For some people, operating a 501(c)3 is a tax evasion scheme. Obviously, Trump is a tax evader.

And this is why he won't release his taxes, it would put him in prison.

[The Wielding Truth]

5. The proof is in.

[DeminPennswoods]

6. This will resonate

This is like Trump mocking the handicapped reporter. People understood and were appalled at that behavior. This is simple, too, for people to understand. Trump took money intended for less fortunate children (http://www.idealist.org/view/nonprofit/bnW323sxzmfP/) and spent it on a 6' (!) painting of himself.

When Bob Casey first ran against Rick Santorum, it was reported that Santorum's kids had paid no tuition to a local cyber charter school. Voters in Santorum's western Pennsylvania home intuitively recognized that for the favorable treatment it was. It was a big turnoff even though a relatively small thing.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. "Santorum's kids had paid no tuition to a local cyber charter school."

Problem was - neither he nor his family were living in PA at all! That (plus his involvement in the Terry Schiavo fiasco) was why my state booted him out of office by almost 18% difference between he and Casey.

[DeminPennswoods]

8. Yep

Also the "too busy for jury duty" excuse. The point is, it's these little things that most people can relate to that can cause the most damage.

BTW, the head of the cyber school recently pled guilty to federal tax fraud after spending 11M in state taxpayer dollars on himself/friends/family.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. That always ends up happening when all is said and done.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. It's got an ornate gold frame so it must be art

[alphafemale]

11. lmao. The hands!

[ThoughtCriminal]

12. On a mountain of skulls in the castle of pain I sat on the throne of blood.

[Liberal_in_LA]

14. Ghostbusters two

[Princess Turandot]

16. The rules for these ''private foundations" are very stringent...

in particular, regarding any possible benefit accruing at its expense to the individuals who are the founders, officers, board members etc. of the organization. Basically, this is to prevent the founders from using it as some kind of a tax free slush fund, which is a risk primarily because the officers, directors etc. either are, or are closely related to, the founders.

This transaction is most likely not permitted since, even though it was a charity auction, a founder of the Foundation (i.e. Donald Trump) got a personable benefit from it in the form of a painting.

These kinds of charity auctions are not uncommon: had he or Melania paid for this out of his/her own pocket directly, some/most of it would have been deductible on their own taxes. Using their foundation's money to pay for it was a violation of the rules specific to private foundations.

BTW, these types of entities are often referred to as "family foundations", but the official IRS name for them is ''private foundations". They are different kind of entity than the Clinton Global Initiative, which is a publicly registered charity. (The Clintons also have a family ''private foundation" which is funded by them alone IIRC, but that entity is not the one which is being unwarrantably smeared by certain of the DC press.)