An aide to members of Donald Trump’s family on Wednesday defended Trump’s personal use of funds from his foundation, arguing that some third party donations should count as Trump’s money.
“A lot of times Mr. Trump will give a speech somewhere or he’ll raise money in some way and he asks that that entity, instead of cutting a personal check to him, cut it to his charity,” Lynne Patton told the Des Moines Register. “That’s money that otherwise would’ve been in his personal account, right?”
“So when he cuts a check from his foundation for let’s say, St. Jude, it is his money,” Patton, the senior assistant three of Trump’s children and the vice president of Eric Trump’s charity, continued. “No ifs, ands or ways about it.”
The Washington Post reported this week that Trump has used a total of $258,000 from his foundation to settle personal legal matters. The Post has previously reported that Trump’s charity has largely operated with donations from other people in recent years, not with donations from Trump himself.
Following the report, the Trump campaign lashed out at the Washington Post, and claimed that the paper had “gotten their facts wrong.” But the campaign did not address any specifics about the Post’s reporting.
Patton’s explanation went further than the response from the campaign, as she claimed that donations prompted by Trump’s speaking engagements should be considered Trump’s money.
“That’s his money going into his foundation,” she told the Des Moines Register. “Just because the check doesn’t say ‘Donald and Melania Trump, TD Bank or Chase Manhattan (Bank)’ doesn’t mean it’s not their money.”
Shorter Trump: How does it matter where my money is? Its mine. I dont pay taxes and will never do it. I save every penny to become a billionaire.
He thinks all the money in the foundation is his money. That’s the problem.
Even if this is true, it still doesn’t allow him to pay legal settlements using that money. And it still doesn’t allow him to buy artwork for personal use using that money. It just doesn’t.
Another tax dodge… Put the money in my charity (both Donald and the payee get a tax dodge) and I’ll spend it from there.
Even if this made sense, which it doesn’t, and passed the smell test, which it doesn’t, the obvious follow up is why he had them pay into his foundation rather than to him directly.