New York Attorney General Sues to Shut Down Trump Foundation

After nearly two years of investigating, the New York attorney general's office has filed a lawsuit against the Donald J. Trump Foundation over what it calls a "pattern of illegal conduct."

The suit alleges that President Donald Trump and three of his adult children have long violated state laws governing charities by using his foundation to fund business expenses, settle lawsuits against Trump companies, and to promote his presidential campaign in 2016. Attorney General Barbara Underwood is asking the New York State Supreme Court dissolve the Trump Foundation and order it to pay restitution and penalties.

"That's a serious violation of the papers Trump signed when he incorporated his foundation in 1987," said WNYC reporter and Trump, Inc.  "In exchange for tax-exempt status, charities are supposed to steer clear of politics and instead spend money on the public good," said Marritz. "Trump has said he doesn't like that law, but that is the law."

A written statement from the Trump Organization called the suit "politics at its very worst" and defended the foundation's record as having donated $19 million to charitable causes with almost no expenses. But the lawsuit said that's part of the problem, because the charity didn't have a staff and functioned as an arm of the Trump family business.

Trump also blasted the lawsuit on Twitter and said he will fight it in court.

To hear the full between Marritz and All Things Considered host Sean Carlson, click the "Listen" button.