Group alleges Trump’s foundation, political campaign are entwined
By David A. Fahrenthold
June 17 at 4:46 PM
... The American Democracy Legal Fund, headed by longtime Democratic operative Brad Woodhouse, formally requested that the IRS open an investigation into the Donald J. Trump Foundation. In the past, the same group has filed complaints about possible ethical or campaign violations by Republicans, and at least two complaints about Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) and his campaign against former secretary of state Hillary Clinton ...
The complaint centers on a fundraiser that Trump held for veterans' groups in Iowa in January, which brought in more than $4 millions from other donors. Trump directed more than $2 million of this money into his foundation, which he established in 1987.
After that, Trump would interrupt his campaign rallies in Iowa to give away checks from the foundation, calling up local veterans' groups to receive them onstage. Then — several months later, and under pressure to give the rest of the donated money away — Trump held a news conference at Trump Tower, where he announced the foundation's remaining gifts.
Federal law requires that nonprofit groups such as the Trump Foundation keep their distance from presidential politics. The IRS says nonprofit organizations "are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign" ...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/06/17/irs-complaint-liberal-group-alleges-that-trumps-foundation-political-campaign-have-become-entwined/