NEW YORK _ New York subpoenaed Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen as part of a state investigation into whether the president's personal charitable foundation engaged in a decadelong pattern of self-dealing.
The state's Department of Taxation and Finance confirmed the subpoena on Wednesday and said it would work with New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood, who sued the Donald J. Trump Foundation in June. The Associated Press earlier reported the subpoena.
James Gazzale, a spokesman for the state tax department, declined to comment on precise details of the subpoena. A person familiar with the request for information, who declined to comment publicly, said it relates specifically to Trump's foundation.
Cohen pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges including campaign finance violations, admitting he'd arranged to pay hush money before the 2016 election to two women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump. A spokeswoman for Cohen declined to comment.
If it finds evidence of potential criminal wrongdoing, the tax department, overseen by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, will need to refer the findings to Underwood because the attorney general already has an active investigation underway.
The attorney general's office oversees charities in New York. The state filed a petition to dissolve Trump's foundation in June, alleging a litany of violations including improperly using foundation assets for political purposes. New York is also seeking to bar Trump from serving on a New York not-for-profit for 10 years.
