Trump’s Morality and Policies

Now that President Trump has admitted to crimes against regulations governing tax exempt charities, the nature of the Trump Organization as a criminal enterprise is coming to light.

During my 36 years experience managing several 501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations, never once was I cited for violating IRS regulations. I know something about regulations governing how “c3s” dispense funds and was not shocked, therefore, when the Trump Foundation was compelled to close.  Now we learn that the President settled a lawsuit against his Foundation to the tune of  $2 million dollars.

During my 8 years working in Eastern Europe from 1987 to 1995, I was asked to pay substantial bribes. I could have done that, but the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act makes bribery in foreign transactions a crime.  Other countries permit bribery and one actually treats bribes as a deductible business expense. The Trump Organization could not have done business in Russia and some other countries without bribing government officials. Needless to say, in New York City only bribery makes real estate transactions possible.

Money-laundering is also a crime and financing for Trump projects from Russian oligarchs clearly comes close, or crosses the line, into money laundering.

If you play fast and loose with laws in business, you may assume the same in politics.

Though Trump ran for President as a Republican, Trump was a registered Democrat longer than he was registered as a Republican. As a former political appointee in the Reagan and Bush 41 administrations I did not engage in “outside” dealings. Trump has not shut his ties to a variety of businesses.

That explains why the policies of the Trump Administration are irrational, based on a mistaken understanding of how government and foreign adversaries operate.