A political campaigning group has the right to challenge the Scottish government’s decision not to investigate the finances behind two Trump golf courses in the country, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Avaaz, a political campaigning group in Scotland, celebrated the decision, which will allow it to once again pursue an “unexplained wealth order” against former President Donald Trump. In February, the Scottish Parliament voted 89 to 32 against the proposed unexplained wealth order investigation into Trump’s finances. Dissenters argued that the issue should be pursued by law enforcement if necessary, not legislators.
If the previous rejection is overturned and an order is issued by the Scottish government, it would open the way for investigators to dig through the golf courses’ finances and force the former president’s company to justify their assets.
“I grant permission for the petition to proceed without condition or restriction,” Scottish judge Lord Sandison wrote in his opinion.
SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT FACING LEGAL PRESSURE TO INVESTIGATE TRUMP GOLF COURSES PURCHASED IN CASH
Trump owns two golf courses in Scotland. His property in Aberdeen was purchased in 2005 for $10 million, with additional construction adding another $60 million. The Turnberry resort was purchased in 2014 for $60 million. All totaled, Trump has dumped approximately $300 million into the Scottish properties. Both resorts were paid for in cash.
The former president has previously faced uniquely Scottish legal issues when concerns were raised over the heraldry used on the property, according to the Washington Post. The heraldry used at the golf course was determined to be the legally protected property of another family.
The Trump Organization was forced to petition the Scottish government for the right to have its own heraldic achievement, which it then unveiled as the new symbol of the course and now adorns memorabilia and property in the area.
Neither of Trump’s Scottish properties has reported a profit since they were established, and the Aberdeen property has similarly not turned a profit in close to a decade.
Unexplained wealth orders were introduced in 2017 as a method of combating illicit financial dealings, including corruption and bribery of public figures.
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Trump Turnberry did not immediately return the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
