# How many serious crimes (criminal or civil) has Trump been accused of or investigated for **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 14, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903 "2016-09-14T01:39:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/1 "2016-09-14T01:39:49Z")
The reason I ask is because I’m having trouble following the accusations. I don’t like Trump, but putting that aside what all civil and criminal crimes has he been accused of? And why is this not news? Off the top of my head: Accused of rape by 3 different women Election fraud in asking Europeans for donations Conflict of interest with the Russians (calling on them to hack the US, etc) Illegal coordination with a superPAC Fraud with Trump University Bribery of a Florida official who was supposed to investigate Trump University Offering Ben Carson an advisory position in exchange for an endorsement Racial bias in his rental properties Looking online I found these sites. > **[A Complete List of All the Times Donald Trump Has Broken the Law](https://www.pajiba.com/politics/a-complete-list-of-all-the-times-donald-trump-has-broken-the-law.php)** > > Yesterday, Donald Trump possibly committed a felony by inciting Vladimir Putin and the Russian government to hack an American citizen and release personal emails. It's just the latest questionably illegal action by the Republican nominee for... > **[The Many Scandals of Donald Trump: A Cheat Sheet](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/donald-trump-scandals/474726/)** > > One of the women who accused Trump of sexual misconduct has sued him for defamation after he labeled her claims false. Is this uncharted territory? Why is this not bigger news? Or is this really the level of behavior candidates can engage in? Other than the Clintons, I can’t think of any major politician who has been accused of such a wide range of crimes (and much of what people accuse the Clinton’s of seems to be wishful thinking). Obama, Romney, Bush, Dole, Gore, Kerry, Perot, etc. never had this kind of record from what I am able to remember. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/2 "2016-09-14T03:07:09Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Offering Ben Carson an advisory position in exchange for an endorsement I don’t view this as a crime or even an impropriety. It’s just a normal political quid pro quo. How about the misuse of campaign money? I’ve heard numerous stories about Trump funneling campaign money towards his personal accounts by charging his campaign for the use of his property or by buying things for his personal use with campaign money. And there’s his wife’s immigration history. It appears she violated immigration laws back in 1996. Trump has no direct connection - they weren’t a couple at the time. But Trump and his campaign have repeatedly denied any laws were broken which raises the issue of a cover up. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/3 "2016-09-14T03:10:10Z")
The Ben Carson thing would indeed be a crime if his dropping out of the race was tied to the job. I have only heard of the one rape accusation - the one working through the courts right now. Seems kind of bullshit, imho. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/4 "2016-09-14T03:15:24Z")
There’s the time he dog-whistled the gun nuts to maybe shoot the Democratic nominee and then had the Secret Service come a-calling. That has to be a first for a major party nominee. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/5 "2016-09-14T04:13:03Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > (SNIP) Why is this not bigger news? (SNIP) The Trump U stuff was covered pretty extensively early on and I suspect it will pick up again soon. The bribery accusations of Florida AG Bondi are old but seem to be getting new life and may actually heat up in the next few weeks. [Tampa Bay Times, Orlando Sentinel and Miami Herald](http://reverbpress.com/politics/three-major-fl-papers-request-federal-investigation-trump-university-pay-play/) published editorials this past Sunday calling for a Federal investigation about this. [Congressional Democrats took up that call today.](http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/congressional-democrats-call-for-federal-investigation-into-bondi-trump/2293392) This seems to me to be the story with the most legs. There also seems to be questions about the Trump Foundation being used as a personal piggy bank by Trump. That and the way he keeps using campaign funds to pay companies he owns for services delivered to his campaign could be a problem as well. [This story is from June](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/22/us/politics/donald-trump-self-funding-payments.html) but there are more recent instances to be found. It looks as if he is jacking the price way up when the campaign is being billed. Don’t forget about his tendency to not pay bills or people who perform work for him. That has already been covered in various places as well. I’m done looking up cites for now. Try Googling some phrases like “trump fraud” “trump cheats workers” “trump atlantic city contractors”, etc. The Russian stuff is weird and may well be real but I am guessing the smoking gun is in his tax info somewhere. The rape stories seem pretty fringe but who knows. Clearly this dude is seriously scummy. But to your original question, **“Why is this not bigger news?”** well, it seems “evil Hillary” stories get better ratings than stories about Trump sliminess. The media loves vilifying Hillary because it gets them viewers. Add to that the fact the Trump stories are more complicated and a new one seems to pop up every few days and it is easy to see the media just going with the easy story that Hillary is irredeemably evil and up to no good. They’ve been pushing that angle for years so they are just going with the story that takes less work. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/6 "2016-09-14T05:18:13Z")
Ripping off sub-contractors [Securities Fraud](http://www.leagle.com/decision/19921336793FSupp543_11223/IN%20RE%20DONALD%20J.%20TRUMP%20CASINO%20SECURITIES%20LITIGATION) [SEC investigation](http://fortune.com/2016/03/14/donald-trump-sec/) [Cease and desist order](https://www.sec.gov/news/headlines/trumphotels.htm). [More](http://accountingonion.com/2016/08/was-donald-trump-complicit-in-a-securities-fraud.html). [$750,000 fine by justice dept, securities reporting requirements](http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/06/donald-trump-fine-ftc-sec-stocks) Headline: We Investigated, Donald Trump is Named in at Least 169 Federal Lawsuits [INDENT][INDENT] They read like a history of Trump’s business failures, successes, and bombastic personality. With Trump threatening a lawsuit against Ted Cruz, his surge in the polls, and his big win in New Hampshire, we thought now was as good a time as any to review of some of the Donald’s legal skirmishes. The federal lawsuits that we reviewed date back to 1983 and involve everything from business disputes, antitrust claims and, more recently, accusations that Trump’s campaign statements are discriminatory against minorities. Some of the cases have been resolved, some were dismissed as frivolous, and others were privately settled. He’s been sued by celebrities, personal assistants, prisoners, people in mental hospitals, unions, and wealthy businessmen. [http://lawnewz.com/high-profile/we-investigated-donald-trump-is-named-in-at-least-169-federal-lawsuits/[/INDENT][/INDENT]](http://lawnewz.com/high-profile/we-investigated-donald-trump-is-named-in-at-least-169-federal-lawsuits/%5B/INDENT%5D%5B/INDENT%5D) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/7 "2016-09-14T05:25:18Z")
There was the speechwriter who took the blame for his wife’s sppech plagerizing from Michelle Obama – she was not listed as an employee on Campaign Finance reports – apparently she was paid from the Trump business company rather than the campaign treasury. That is a violation of campaign finance laws. Also the various former campaign chairs/staffers – they don’t show as being paid on the Trump campaign finance reports. So they were either paid under the tale somehow, thru his business company. Or maybe not paid at all – he seems to have a record of doing that to employees. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/8 "2016-09-14T13:37:42Z")
I’m beginning to think that some percentage of the “sensible” Republicans supporting him support him only because they know he’ll get it, get impeached, and they’ll get Pence. It isn’t exactly going to be hard to impeach Trump - and the GOP will throw this particular one of their own under the bus. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/9 "2016-09-14T14:41:38Z")
If the GOP had that kind of courage, we wouldn’t be in this mess to begin with. No way will any Republican vote to impeach President Trump. It would mean being disloyal and pissing off his feral fan club. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/10 "2016-09-14T14:48:08Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > I’m beginning to think that some percentage of the “sensible” Republicans supporting him support him only because they know he’ll get it, get impeached, and they’ll get Pence. It isn’t exactly going to be hard to impeach Trump - and the GOP will throw this particular one of their own under the bus. No, they won’t. They will not “throw him under the bus”, any more than they will come to their senses and nominate a sane candidate, any more than they will come to their senses and dump their insane nominated candidate at their convention and install a sane one, _any more than they will develop a sense of decency and refuse to vote for their insane candidate come November_. They have shown that they will throw their self-respect into the ditch when it comes to acquiring political power, and they will back Trump to the gates of Hell rather than give up an ounce of it. Your “sensible” Republicans, if they exist at all, have no power. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/11 "2016-09-14T18:25:17Z")
Wasn’t there also something about fraud relating to his declaring that all proceeds of various products would go to charity but never delivering? ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/12 "2016-09-14T19:36:24Z")
He’s still got [3,500 cases filed against him](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/281908-report-trump-involved-in-3500-lawsuits) from the countless violations and people who were screwed over during his casino days. > [@](#): > > In more than half of the lawsuits — about 1,900 — Trump or his companies are the plaintiff, while in about 1,450 cases they are the defendant. The rest are bankruptcy or other cases. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/13 "2016-09-14T19:57:48Z")
> [@](#): > > In more than half of the lawsuits — about 1,900 — Trump or his companies are the plaintiff, while in about 1,450 cases they are the defendant. **The rest are bankruptcy or other cases.** Ooh, that last line opens up all kinds of possibilities… wrongful death, racketeering, marital infidelity, … There need to be more questions, and I’m ready to ask! ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/14 "2016-09-14T20:38:44Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > He’s still got [3,500 cases filed against him](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/281908-report-trump-involved-in-3500-lawsuits) from the countless violations and people who were screwed over during his casino days. If he’s the plaintiff, how are those cases filed against him? ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/15 "2016-09-14T21:03:15Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > If he’s the plaintiff, how are those cases filed against him? He’s the plaintiff in 1,900 of them. The rest, not so much. It’d be nice to see a detailed list. 70 cases were filed against him since he started his election. Let’s not forget the one from the dad of the young girl singers at his campaigns. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/16 "2016-09-14T21:09:43Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > He’s the plaintiff in 1,900 of them. The rest, not so much. It’d be nice to see a detailed list. 70 cases were filed against him since he started his election. Let’s not forget the one from the dad of the young girl singers at his campaigns. OK. So you said: > [@Locrian](#): > > He’s still got [3,500 cases filed against him](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/281908-report-trump-involved-in-3500-lawsuits) from the countless violations and people who were screwed over during his casino days. But it’s more correct to say he’s got 1,900 cases filed against him. I’m not remotely a fan of Trump. He’s making me vote for Hillary, which is a nightmare for me. But I think there’s value is confining the accusations to accurate claims. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/17 "2016-09-14T22:11:23Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > OK. So you said: > > But it’s more correct to say he’s got 1,900 cases filed against him. > > I’m not remotely a fan of Trump. He’s making me vote for Hillary, which is a nightmare for me. But I think there’s value is confining the accusations to accurate claims. No, it’s more corect to say he has about 1450 cases filed against him (or his company) and is a plaintiff (or his company is a plaintiff) in 1900 cases or thereabouts. I think there’s value is confining the accusations to accurate claims. 😉 At any rate, highlights are covered in my link: [We Investigated, Donald Trump is Named in at Least 169 Federal Lawsuits | Law & Crime](http://lawnewz.com/high-profile/we-investigated-donald-trump-is-named-in-at-least-169-federal-lawsuits/) ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/18 "2016-09-14T22:29:07Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I’m not remotely a fan of Trump. He’s making me vote for Hillary, which is a nightmare for me. But I think there’s value is confining the accusations to accurate claims. I have to disagree with this. Trump is not making you vote for Hillary. Your integrity is making you do it. And I thank you for it. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/19 "2016-09-14T23:20:52Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > OK. So you said: > > But it’s more correct to say he’s got 1,900 cases filed against him. > > I’m not remotely a fan of Trump. He’s making me vote for Hillary, which is a nightmare for me. But I think there’s value is confining the accusations to accurate claims. Sorry. That was a typo. I’m guessing all the cases where he is the plaintiff are countersuits against the ones suing him. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903/20 "2016-09-14T23:30:30Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I’m not remotely a fan of Trump. He’s making me vote for Hillary, which is a nightmare for me. But I think there’s value is confining the accusations to accurate claims. Let me hijack this thread to Cuba… You voted at least once for Obama, and that was against a reasonably sane candidate. Trump has now Thelma and Louised your party off a cliff. Are you still a Republican? Are you staying around in the hopes that the GOP somehow claws itself out back to the surface? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-serious-crimes-criminal-or-civil-has-trump-been-accused-of-or-investigated-for/765903.md?page=2)