The Kleptocracy - Part 2

Last month, Donald Trump received some bad news that, naturally, resulted in a Twitter-based tantrum. In a lawsuit filed by Barbara Underwood, the New York attorney general accused the president and all of his adult children of “persistently illegal conduct” related to the Donald J. Trump Foundation. Essentially charging that the charity was used as a personal slush fund, Underwood claimed the Trump Foundation “was little more than a checkbook for payments to not-for-profits from Mr. Trump or the Trump Organization.” [...] Trump claimed that the suit—which seeks to dissolve the foundation, force the president to pay millions in restitution, and temporarily bar him and his three oldest kids from serving in leadership positions at any New York nonprofits—was the work of “sleazy New York Democrats,” angrily insisting, “I won’t settle this case!” And now, a new twist is sure to get him even more riled up.

The New York Times reports that the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance has opened an inquiry into whether or not the Donald J. Trump Foundation violated state tax laws. [...] And while Trump has been involved in a whopping 3,500 legal actions (and counting!), this one has the potential to seriously blow up his spot:

A criminal inquiry could reveal additional information beyond the scope of the lawsuit, such as the president’s tax returns.

[...]

As the Times notes, it’s far too early to say whether the tax department’s findings would ultimately be referred to the attorney general or a district attorney. Plus, when the state attorney general’s office has taken tax-related criminal actions, it’s generally related to things like tax evasion. But the mere fact of the suit cracks the circle of people who have seen Trump’s tax returns—a circle that includes journalist Timothy L. O’Brien and, almost certainly, Robert Mueller—even wider.

  Vanity Fair

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.