A judge in New York has ruled that state Attorney General Barbara Underwood’s case against the Trump Foundation can go forward. The case alleges that the charitable foundation engaged in a consistent pattern of illegal acts for over a decade, being used to settle business disputes and support the 2016 Trump presidential campaign. The judge ruled that U.S. Supreme Court precedent in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit against then-President Clinton clearly states that the president is not immune from civil liability while in office.
This is the second case this year in which a judge has concluded that President Trump can be held liable in civil court for private acts. Trump and three of his children are named in Underwood’s lawsuit, which seeks restitution of $2.8 million, and a 10-year bar on President Trump running another charitable organization.
Additional Reading
Judge Rules New York’s Lawsuit Against The Trump Foundation Can Proceed, NPR, November 24, 2018
Order, filed November 23, 2018 in People of the State of New York v. Trump, et al.
