Donors who intended to support a bipartisan nonprofit that’s organizing celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary were allegedly redirected – without their knowledge – to a separate nonprofit behind events being promoted by President Donald Trump, according to a report from a group of House Democrats, citing confidential, unnamed sources.
The interim report, compiled by Democratic staff on the House Natural Resources Committee, includes accounts from unnamed sources about donors who wanted to give to the America250 nonprofit, which is overseen by a bipartisan congressional commission, being given incorrect wire instructions so that their money would flow to the Trump-backed Freedom 250.
“A gift solicited in the name of the nation’s nonpartisan birthday commission could thus be redirected without the donor’s knowledge, by an entity created to serve the President’s priorities,” the report said.
If true, the actions could constitute “potential wire fraud and charitable solicitation fraud,” according to the report, which doesn’t detail how much money was diverted, if at all.
The 41-page report claims Trump allies sought to sideline America250 while putting the president at the center of the nation’s anniversary and “selling” access to him in exchange for donations. Freedom 250’s activities are largely overseen by top Trump aides, and it has taken steps to brand itself as the “nonpartisan” group “leading the celebration” of America’s birthday.
