D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine’s lawsuit against former President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee, the Trump Hotel and the Trump Organization over the alleged misuse of $1.1 million is going to trial in September.
The Office of the Attorney General filed the suit in 2020, alleging that the nonprofit inaugural committee illegally enriched the Trump family — specifically, that it “misused charitable funds to dramatically overpay the Trump Hotel for event space, throw a private party for the Trump children and pay a private debt owed by the Trump Organization,” a Thursday news release said.
The trial date is slated for Sept. 26.
“No one is above the law, and we’re now going to trial to hold Donald Trump’s Presidential Inaugural Committee accountable for illegally using nonprofit funds to enrich the Trump family,” Racine said in a statement.
“My office is committed to standing up against corruption and abuses of public trust. That’s why we investigate, and, when the facts reveal flagrant violations of law, we sue. We look forward to proving our case in court. Cheaters should never prosper.”
D.C. Superior Court said earlier this week that the District’s lawsuit can move forward against all three entities.
After an investigation, the OAG office’s alleges that the Trump inaugural committee violated District law by:
- “Abusing nonprofit funds to enrich the Trump family: The PIC grossly misused its nonprofit funds to make an unfair and unjustified payment of more than $1 million to the Trump Hotel. The PIC paid vastly inflated prices even after senior Committee staff and members of the Trump family were warned that the charges were unreasonable. The PIC’s payment flowed directly to the Trump family, flouting the PIC’s bylaws prohibiting the use of its funds for private enrichment.”
- “Using nonprofit funds to throw a private party for President Trump’s family: The PIC paid approximately $300,000 to use event space in the Trump Hotel for a private reception for the President’s children — Donald, Jr., Ivanka, and Eric — on the evening of Jan. 20, 2017. Event staff within the PIC recognized this would not be a proper use of PIC funds and had tried to cancel this event, but [deputy inaugural committee director Rick] Gates and the Trump family went forward with the event anyway.”
- “Paying a private debt owed by the Trump Organization: During discovery, OAG uncovered evidence that the PIC additionally misused nonprofit funds to benefit the Trump family by paying a $50,000 debt owed by the Trump organization. The Trump Organization reserved rooms at the Loews Madison hotel during the week of the inaugural for Trump’s family and friends, then failed to pay the hotel bill. When the unpaid hotel bill was sent to collections, and though the PIC was not a party to the initial contract, it paid over $49,000 on behalf of the Trump Organization.”
The attorney general’s office polices nonprofit activities of organizations operating in D.C.
