Trump Foundation admits to multiple violations of 'self-dealing' law

‘Tis the season for Donald Trump to confess to everything he denied during the campaign in an effort to clean up his legal plate and get on with the business of making the government into part of his business.

President-elect Donald Trump’s charitable foundation has apparently admitted to the IRS that it violated a legal prohibition against “self-dealing,” which bars nonprofit leaders from using their charity’s money to help themselves, their businesses, or their families.

David Fahrenthold’s yeoman work in combing through the books of the Trump Foundation earned acclaim from readers, but drew little attention from publications beyond his home at the Washington Post. The Trump campaign called Fahrenthold “biased” and a “Trump-hater.” It now appears they could have also used the phrase “100 percent accurate.”

Among the many items turned up by Fahrenthold’s relentless digging were instances where Donald Trump had treated funds from his charity as if they were an auxiliary bank account. Trump purchased at least two massive self-portraits. He bought himself football souvenirs. He paid off his legal bills and he made political contributions—all out of foundation funds. It seemed like a clear violation. The form admitted that the Foundation had broken the rules in 2015. And ...

Another line on the form asked if the Trump Foundation had engaged in any acts of self-dealing in prior years. The Trump Foundation checked “yes” again.