NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

Legal threats surround Donald Trump as nearly every organisation he has led is under investigation

By Seung Min Kim and Matt Zapotosky
Washington Post·
15 Dec, 2018 09:09 PM11 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A person familiar with his schedule said Trump spent more time than usual in his official residence this week. Photo / Washington Post

A person familiar with his schedule said Trump spent more time than usual in his official residence this week. Photo / Washington Post

Two years after Donald Trump won the presidency, nearly every organization he has led in the past decade is under investigation.

Trump's private company is contending with civil suits digging into its business with foreign governments and with looming state inquiries into its tax practices.

Trump's 2016 campaign is under scrutiny by special counsel Robert Mueller III, whose investigation into Russian interference has already led to guilty pleas by his campaign chairman and four advisers, reports The Washington Post.

Trump's inaugural committee has been probed by Mueller for illegal foreign donations, a topic that the incoming House Intelligence Committee chairman plans to further investigate next year.

Trump's charity is locked in an ongoing suit with New York state, which has accused the foundation of "persistently illegal conduct."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The mounting inquiries are building into a cascade of legal challenges that threaten to dominate Trump's third year in the White House. In a few weeks, Democrats will take over in the House and pursue their own investigations into all of the above - and more.

The ultimate consequences for Trump are still unclear. Past Justice Department opinions have held that a sitting president may not be charged with a federal crime.

House Democrats may eventually seek to impeach Trump. But, for now, removing him from office appears unlikely: It would require the support of two-thirds of the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However, there has been one immediate impact on a president accustomed to dictating the country's news cycles but who now struggles to keep up with them: Trump has been forced to spend his political capital - and that of his party - on his defense.

On Capitol Hill this week, weary Senate Republicans scrambled away from reporters to avoid questions about Trump and his longtime fixer Michael Cohen - and Cohen's courtroom assertion that he had been covering up Trump's "dirty deeds" when he paid off two women who claimed they had affairs with the president before he was elected.

"I don't do any interviews on anything to do with Trump and that sort of thing, OK?" said Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho.

"There's no question that it's a distraction from the things that obviously we would like to see him spending his time on, and things we'd like to be spending our time on," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. "So that's why I'm hoping that some of this stuff will wrap up soon and we'll get answers, and we can draw conclusions, and we can move on from there."

Discover more

Business

How have US corporations spent their tax cut windfall?

14 Dec 10:37 PM
World

Comment: All the things Trump didn't count on

14 Dec 11:15 PM
World

George Papadopoulos' plans to run for Congress

14 Dec 11:44 PM
World

Donald Trump finally names White House chief of staff

15 Dec 01:14 AM

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., summed it up another way: "It's been a bad week for Individual Number One," referring to the legal code name prosecutors in Manhattan used in court filings to refer to the president.

Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani did not respond to a request for comment. Neither did White House or Trump Organization officials.

As the bad news has rolled in, the president has cut back his public schedule. He spent more time than usual in his official residence this week, with more than two dozen hours of unstructured "executive time," said a person familiar with his schedule.

In several tweets on Thursday, Trump sought to cast doubt on two former advisers who have cooperated with investigators. Cohen, Trump said, just wanted a reduced prison sentence. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn, he said, was the victim of scare tactics by the FBI.

Then - after wordy explanations of how both men had gone wrong - Trump tried to sum up his increasingly complex problems with a simple explanation.

"WITCH HUNT!" he wrote.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"He's just never been targeted by an investigation like this," said Timothy O'Brien, a reporter who wrote a biography of Trump, adding that the longtime real estate mogul had contended with extensive litigation in his business career, but never legal threats of this scale. "The kind of legal scrutiny they're getting right now - and the potential consequences of that scrutiny - are unlike anything Donald Trump or his children have ever faced."

THE SPECIAL COUNSEL PROBE

Mueller's investigation began in May 2017 after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. The special counsel's mandate: to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 campaign and whether the Kremlin worked with Trump associates. Mueller is also examining whether the president has sought to obstruct the Russia probe.

So far, Mueller has charged 33 people. That includes 26 Russian nationals - some of whom allegedly stole emails and other data from U.S. political parties, others of whom allegedly sought to influence public opinion via phony social media postings.

Several Trump aides have also pleaded guilty.

Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, was found guilty in August of tax and bank fraud charges and pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy and obstruction charges unrelated to his work for the campaign. He agreed to cooperate with Mueller's investigation - though the special counsel's office recently asserted he has been lying to investigators.

Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser, admitted to lying to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador. Rick Gates, Trump's former deputy campaign chairman, admitted to conspiracy and lying to the FBI. Former foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts. Cohen admitted to lying about efforts to build a Trump project in Moscow that lasted into Trump's presidential run. All agreed to cooperate with investigators.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It's unclear where Mueller's inquiry is headed - and whether it will end with a spate of indictments reaching further into Trump's world or with a written report submitted to the Justice Department.

Trump has repeatedly denied there was any "collusion" between his associates and Russia and has attacked the investigation as a fishing expedition led by politically biased prosecutors. Advisers said he has recently ramped up his attacks - hoping to undermine confidence in Mueller's work - because he believes the probe is at a critical stage.

THE CAMPAIGN-FINANCE INVESTIGATION

Separately, federal prosecutors in Manhattan have pursued another investigation that emerged out of the 2016 campaign: hush-money payments Cohen made to two women who said they'd had extramarital affairs with Trump.

Cohen, who was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for what a judge called a "veritable smorgasbord of criminal conduct," pleaded guilty to campaign-finance violations in connection to the payments.

Cohen also named who told him to pay off the women: Trump.

"He was very concerned about how this would affect the election," Cohen told ABC News in an interview that aired Friday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Trump has denied he directed Cohen to break the law by buying the silence of former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal and adult-film star Stormy Daniels. He also said Cohen, as his lawyer, bore responsibility for any campaign finance violations.

"I never directed him to do anything wrong," Trump told Fox News on Thursday. "Whatever he did, he did on his own."

Prosecutors also revealed Wednesday they had struck a non-prosecution agreement with AMI, the company that produces the National Enquirer tabloid, for its role in the scheme.

The company admitted it had helped pay off one of Trump's accusers during the campaign. It said it had done so in "cooperation, consultation, and concert with" one or more members of Trump's campaign, according to court filings.

It is unclear whether prosecutors will pursue charges against campaign or Trump Organization officials as part of the case.

But at the White House, advisers have fretted that this case - and not Mueller's - could be the biggest threat to Trump's presidency. House Democrats have already indicated the campaign-finance allegations could be potential fodder for impeachment proceedings.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

SCRUTINY OF THE INAUGURAL COMMITTEE

The nearly $107 million donated to Trump's inaugural committee has drawn the attention of Mueller, who has probed whether illegal foreign contributions went to help put on the festivities.

The special counsel already referred one such case to federal prosecutors in Washington. In late August, an American political consultant, W. Samuel Patten, admitted steering $50,000 from a Ukrainian politician to the inaugural committee through a straw donor.

Patten pleaded guilty to failing to register as a foreign lobbyist and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

On Friday, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said his panel plans to investigate possible "illicit foreign funding or involvement in the inauguration."

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that federal prosecutors in New York are examining whether the inaugural committee misspent funds. The Washington Post has not independently confirmed that report.

Officials with the committee, which was chaired by Trump's friend Tom Barrack, said they were in full compliance "with all applicable laws and disclosure obligations" and have not received any records requests from prosecutors.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told reporters this week that questions about the committee's practices have "nothing to do with the president of the United States."

THE EMOLUMENTS LAWSUITS

Trump also faces a pair of civil lawsuits alleging he has violated the Constitution by doing business with foreign and state governments while in office.

Trump still owns his private company, though he says he's given up day-to-day control to his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. Since the 2016 election, Trump's businesses have hosted parties for foreign embassies, hosted Malaysia's prime minister and Maine's governor, and rented more than 500 rooms to lobbyists paid by the Saudi government.

The lawsuits allege that such transactions violate a Constitutional ban on presidents taking emoluments, or payments, from foreign or state governments. One complaint was filed by congressional Democrats; the other by the Democratic attorneys general of Maryland and the District of Columbia.

"What we want to do is be able to tie the flow of money from foreign and domestic sovereigns into Donald Trump's pocketbook," said Karl Racine, D, the D.C. attorney general. He called the emoluments clauses "our country's first corruption law."

The plaintiffs are seeking to have Trump barred from doing business with governments. But the more immediate threat for Trump and his company is the legal discovery process, in which the plaintiffs are seeking documents detailing his foreign customers, how much they paid - and how much wound up in the president's pocket.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

So far, Trump - who is represented by the Justice Department and a private attorney - has failed to get the cases dismissed or block discovery.

Earlier this month, the two attorneys general sent Trump's company a raft of subpoenas. They expect to get answers early next year.

NEW YORK STATE INQUIRIES

In New York, where Trump's business is based, incoming Attorney General Letitia James, D, is preparing to launch several investigations into aspects of his company.

"We will use every area of the law to investigate President Trump and his business transactions and that of his family as well," James told NBC News.

She said she wanted to look into whether Trump had violated the emoluments clause by doing business with foreign governments in New York and examine allegations detailed by the New York Times that Trump's company engaged in questionable tax practices for decades.

New York state's tax agency has also said it is considering an investigation into the company's tax practices.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Earlier this year, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood filed suit against Trump and his three eldest children, alleging "persistently illegal conduct" at the Donald J. Trump Foundation, a case spurred by reporting by The Post in 2016.

Trump is accused of violating several state charity laws, including using his charity's money to pay off legal settlements for his for-profit businesses. He used the foundation to buy a portrait of himself that was hung up at one of his resorts. Trump also allegedly allowed his presidential campaign to dictate the charity's giving in 2016 - despite laws that bar charities from participating in campaigns.

The attorney general has asked for Trump to pay at least $2.8 million in penalties and restitution and that he be barred from running a charity in New York for 10 years.

Trump has called the suit politically motivated and "ridiculous."

Last month, a New York state judge denied a request by Trump's attorneys to throw out the suit.

Meanwhile, a defamation suit against Trump by former "Apprentice" contestant Summer Zervos has also quietly advanced through the New York courts.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A judge has allowed Zervos to seek discovery - including possibly deposing the president - as the two sides wait for a panel of New York appellate judges to rule on Trump's latest move to block the lawsuit.

Trump has argued that, as a sitting president, he is immune from the claims in both the foundation and Zervos case. He maintains that the 1997 Supreme Court decision in Clinton v. Jones - which said that presidents do not have immunity from civil litigation - does not apply in state courts.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

World

Watch: 'It's a bit scary': UK village drenched by burst water main

14 May 09:23 PM
World

Burst water main sends jet of water 100 feet into the air

WorldUpdated

Graphic photos shown as Diddy’s ex testifies in sex trafficking trial

14 May 08:43 PM

Connected workers are safer workers 

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from World

Watch: 'It's a bit scary': UK village drenched by burst water main

Watch: 'It's a bit scary': UK village drenched by burst water main

14 May 09:23 PM

Homes damaged, debris thrown in the air as water main spectacularly bursts.

Burst water main sends jet of water 100 feet into the air

Burst water main sends jet of water 100 feet into the air

Graphic photos shown as Diddy’s ex testifies in sex trafficking trial

Graphic photos shown as Diddy’s ex testifies in sex trafficking trial

14 May 08:43 PM
Menendez brothers eligible for parole after re-sentencing

Menendez brothers eligible for parole after re-sentencing

14 May 08:09 PM
The Hire A Hubby hero turning handyman stereotypes on their head
sponsored

The Hire A Hubby hero turning handyman stereotypes on their head

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP