Just as the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into the Trump campaign’s involvement with Russia begins to wrap up, a new investigation, into the Trump inauguration committee’s donors and potential corruption, is just starting to heat up. According to ABC, prosecutors in New York’s Southern District have issued subpoenas for documents from Trump’s inauguration committee.
The inauguration committee confirmed ABC’s report.
“We have just received a subpoena for documents. While we are still reviewing the subpoena, it is our intention to cooperate with the inquiry,” a spokesperson for the inauguration committee told ABC.
From ABC:
Prosecutors are seeking documents and records related to the committee’s donors to the massive inauguration fund, according to sources familiar with the request. Prosecutors are also seeking attendees to the events surrounding the inauguration including benefits to top level donors such as photo opportunities with President Trump, sources said. [...]
ABC News has reported previously interest by federal investigators in the foreign guests at the inaugural event, and possible contributions by foreign nationals, which would be prohibited. Among those who attended were Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, who is now on the Treasury Department list of sanctioned oligarchs.
Trump’s inauguration was the most expensive in modern history, with $107 million raised. That’s double what was raised for Obama’s first inauguration.
In 2017, Trump inauguration committee chairman and friend of Trump Thomas Barrack gave an interview to Mueller. He wasn’t mentioned in the subpoenas, according to ABC’s sources.
It was first reported in December that prosecutors were looking into how Trump’s inaugural committee spent its funds, and whether donors traded donations for political favors. Much of the controversy over the spending regards the millions of dollars paid to Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a friend of Trump’s who started a production company to oversee events during the inauguration.