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The investigations into the payment of bribes on the eve of the election of President Donald Trump and the alleged influence of Russia on the election campaign dominate the news. But the US president is also facing other legal problems.
In New York and Washington, the list of charges against Trump is lengthening and can cause serious headaches to the president.
Check below for updated list of suspicions that hang over the agent – and what each may mean.
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump Investigation Committee in 2017 was the subject of a federal criminal investigation.
The committee raised $ 107 million in grants, including 14 million people working for investment companies and securities brokers – and nearly $ 10 million in donor – related funding. immovable.
This amount is almost double the amount collected for the possession of his predecessor, Barack Obama, in 2009.
The investigation will look at how this money was spent and whether donors have transferred funds to the committee in exchange for political favors. .
A ProPublica report released last Friday (14) exposed the concerns of one of the "main organizers of the ceremony", namely that the Trump International Hotel in Washington had charged more committee members to the chambers and the meals. and spaces for events, which could constitute a violation of the tax laws.
The federal prosecutor's office of Manhattan investigates the case. This is the same team in charge of investigating Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney of the president.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the new investigation was motivated, in part, by materials seized by federal agents at Cohen's office in April.
Risk to the President: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, press secretary at the White House, said "it has nothing to do with the President or the First Lady" when she was asked questions about the Wall Street Journal report. This may be the case, but some of the closest friends of the president and his badociates – and his daughter, Ivanka – have been deeply involved in the organization of the inauguration ceremony.
Donald Trump raises his fist when he arrives at the ceremony presidential nomination at Capitol Hill – Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images / AFP / Getty Images
2. Foreign Influence
The investigation of the Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller focuses on the relations that would be maintained between the Russian government and the campaign that elected Trump. But, according to recent reports, the survey could be expanded to include links with other countries.
An article in the American Daily Beast news website reported that the "second phase" of the investigation would begin early next year and provided for judicial notifications – as well as 39 possible charges, involving a link between the Trump campaign and Saudi Arabia, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
The New York Times linked this news to the investigation of possession possession, noting that federal agents in New York were investigating whether foreigners had illegally donated to the property. organizing committee.
The Mueller team would also examine whether a pro-Trump group received donations from abroad during the 2016 campaign.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have again mentioned, as well as Qatar.
The President calls Mueller's investigation into the "witch hunt" – and certainly will oppose any extension of it.
Risk for the president: Trump has always defended Saudi Arabia, the first country visited by the president after taking office. He supported the nation in the conflict with Qatar and defended Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Special Prosecutor's Office could do more than just ask why.
A bit of footage shows the # Entrance of Trump International Hotel in Washington on the day of its opening – Photo: REUTERS / Kevin Lamarque / File Photo
After being elected, Trump announced that his companies would give the US Treasury all revenues from foreign governments
In March, the Trump Organization donated $ 151,470 worth of the profits of foreign governments accumulated in 2017, but without providing more details.
The procedure was adopted to avoid violating the US Constitution's "foreign emoluments" clause, which prohibits federal officials from receiving gifts or payments from officials or representatives of other countries.
Although the president's lawyers stated that such donations were not necessary, Trump promised "to eliminate any distractions beyond the requirements of the Constitution."
In June, however, state prosecutors in the District of Columbia and the state of Maryland filed a lawsuit against Trump, alleging that the president continued to take advantage of foreign government spending on his projects – especially at the hotel that runs its name, located a few blocks from the White House in Washington.
A similar lawsuit has been filed and a third – filed by the Democratic legislator – is also being processed in the judicial system.
Many questions for those who do not want "no distraction".
Since the lawsuit against DC / Maryland, Trump's lawyers have tried to prevent him from moving forward, promoting what could be the first in a series of court decisions relating to the scope of the emoluments clause.
Last week, however, the judge in charge of the case allowed DC and Maryland to register 30 commercial entities affiliated with the Trump Organization and affiliated groups – a body of evidence that will continue until the end of the day. In August 2019.
The President: The case may turn out to be a political time bomb that reveals embarrbading details about the president's trading empire as his campaign for re-election begins to take its course. boom.
In addition, New York State prosecutors are conducting an investigation into the president's charitable foundation.
Attorney General Barbara Underwood said the Trump Foundation was used to defend the president's political and commercial interests, in violation of state laws that provided tax relief to charities.
In response, the president described the labor investigation inquiry as "despicable New York democrats" and commended his institution for distributing more than $ 19 million.
Trump's lawyers tried to close the case, but at the end of November, a New York judge ruled that the allegations "sufficiently supported the claim that Trump intentionally used the resources of the foundation for his private interests, knowing that this could not be the case, the best for the foundation ".
During the 2016 campaign, Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold explained how Trump was using the institution's money, largely funded by contributions from friends and family. Associates, to resolve lawsuits and make donations in order to get your campaign back to the president.
In the midst of the lawsuit, Trump entered into an agreement this week with the prosecutor's office to dissolve the foundation. Its badets will be distributed among other charities.
Risks for the President: New York claims a restitution of nearly $ 3 million, additional financial penalties and the ban, for a period of 10 years, that Trump be at the head of any organization on purpose nonprofit of New York his three elders – Eric, Ivanka and Donald Jr.
Last week, Michael Cohen, a former personal attorney of the president, explained how he had helped bribe two women during the presidential campaign so that they did not say that they had had bad with Trump.
As part of a court agreement with federal prosecutors in New York, he pleaded guilty to violating the campaign finance law.
In subsequent trials and testimony, he testified that he was acting under Trump's own direction, which the president vehemently denied.
Risk for the President: Trump was directly involved in a campaign funding violation – one of many charges for which his long-time lawyer had been sentenced to a term of imprisonment. The National Enquirer tabloid, which facilitated one of the payments, confirms Cohen's account. It's a serious business.
In the meantime, Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible links with the Trump campaign continues.
Cohen also contributed to this investigation, indicating that the negotiations on a multi-million dollar company proposed by Trump in Moscow continued until the time of the presidential elections and provided for contacts with the Russian authorities.
The Special Prosecutor's Office in Matters involving Trump's former National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, also revealed the existence of an undisclosed criminal investigation and extensive work in progress with Russia.
President Trump said that there was no collusion with Russia and dismissed the investigation as a democratic conspiracy.
Risk for the President: Several people involved in the Trump campaign came into contact with Russians while the Russian government was accused of having participated in the cyberwar to support Trump's bid. Was there collusion? If so, did that involve the president? These are the fundamental questions Mueller was asked to answer. All the rest is perfume.
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