The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance is investigating the Trump Foundation for possible violation of tax law, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed Thursday.
“For the Trump Foundation, the law is the law. It doesn’t matter who you are, the law is the law,” Cuomo said, according to Politico.
Cuomo declined to offer further details, but two officials familiar with the matter said Wednesday the probe could lead to a criminal referral for possible prosecution, according to the New York Times.
This comes after attorney general Barbara D. Underwood filed a lawsuit last month against the Trump Foundation, President Trump, and three of Trump’s children, accusing them of self-dealing, violating campaign finance laws, and coordinating illegally with Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Members of the Trump foundation said the lawsuit was “politically motivated.”
A Cuomo administration official said it is too early to tell whether the case would be referred to the attorney general or a district attorney, according to the New York Times.
“As our lawsuit against the Trump Foundation illustrates, we intend to hold the foundation and its directors accountable for all violations of state law,” Underwood senior policy adviser Amy Spitalnick said, according to the New York Daily News. “We continue to evaluate the evidence to determine what additional actions may be warranted, and will seek a criminal referral from the appropriate state agency as necessary.”
In addition to an online petition, attorney general candidate Zephyr Teachout has been pushing Cuomo for weeks to allow Underwood to investigate the matter.
