Remember how crazy we all thought it was that Donald Trump raised over $100M for an inauguration that no one really attended, yet somehow raised double the Obama inauguration, which was attended by literally hundreds of thousands? And even 2 years later, no one really knows who gave Trump so much money, where it came from, how it was spent or was really bought? Well, it looks like federal prosecutors have been looking into these very questions.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Donald Trump's Inauguration Committee is under serious investigation from federal prosecutors for potential financial crimes on a litany of fronts, including pay-for-play, foreign money investment and misapplication of funds.
The criminal investigation, led by the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office, is looking into a variety of things, including whether donors paid for access -- pay-for-play. You know, the very thing Trump accused Hillary Clinton of.
So why did this investigation just start? Apparently it was kicked off by some of the materials seized (or handed over) in the Michael Cohen case(s). The inaugural committee states it has not been contacted for any records.
CNN's Dana Bash called the inaugural fundraising: 'As Swampy As It Gets' in this clip:
WOLF BLITZER: CNN has confirmed the The Wall Street Journal story, Gloria, there's a criminal investigation of the Trump Inaugural Campaign which raised more than $100 million, a criminal investigation now being conduct by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District.
GLORIA BORGER: Right. There is a preliminary investigation I believe we're told, and there's a question of whether some top donors were giving money for access to -- to people inside the administration, and -- and what we do know is that the Inaugural Committee has not yet been asked for records or been contacted by prosecutors. the Inaugural Committee says they are not aware of any investigation, but what this does show, Wolf, is that Michael Cohen is a big deal right now....because the tentacles are everywhere, and -- and this comes, according to The Wall Street Journal, from some of his recordings that were seized from his of course, and, you know, Michael Sohen has been singing and will continue to sing until he goes to jail on March 6th. Maybe he can get his sentence reduced, who knows, but this is something the President needs to be worried about.
DANA BASH: I'm sorry to interrupt. I was just going to say he needs to be worried about if also because he campaigned on "draining the swamp." This is the man who was poised to finally be the President and now there is an active investigation has we have confirmed that this is being investigated out of the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York about whether or not there was pay-for-play or, you know, however you want to put it, which is as swampy as it gets even before he's actually raised his hand and that is something that people will understand.
Every day, a new investigation. MAGA: Make Attorneys Great Again, amirite?
