WASHINGTON (AP) – The District of Columbia is suing President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee and two companies that control the Trump International Hotel in the nation’s capital, accusing them of throwing parties for the Trump family with nonprofit funds, and overpaying for event space at the hotel.
The district’s attorney general, Karl Racine, said the inaugural committee had been “blatantly and unlawfully abusing nonprofit funds to enrich the Trump family.” The lawsuit, announced Wednesday, alleges that the committee abused nonprofit funds and coordinated with the Trump family to “grossly overpay for event space” in the hotel.
The committee has maintained that its finances were independently audited, and that all money was spent in accordance with the law.
It was the latest allegation that Trump and his family have used public and nonprofit funds spent at Trump-owned properties to enrich themselves – part of the peril of Trump not fully withdrawing from his businesses while he is president. Trump has maintained ownership but turned the reins over to his adult sons, who have bristled at the charge that they are profiting off their father’s presidency.
The suit alleges the committee coordinated with the hotel’s management and members of Trump’s family to arrange the events and that committee staffers knew they were paying prices that were “grossly above market rate” but didn’t consider less expensive alternatives.