Donald Trump Used His Own Charity to Buy Himself A $12,000 Tim Tebow Helmet

It’s Not Like There Are IRS Rules Against It – Oh, Wait…

Donald Trump bought a Tim Tebow helmet at a charity auction benefitting breast-cancer nonprofit Susan G. Komen. He paid $12,000 to the charity, but the check actually came from Donald Trump’s own charity, according to The Washington Post.

The Post notes that Trump “got into a bidding war at the evening’s live auction,” giving him not only a helmet that cost him nothing, and a great deal of free publicity, something Trump has become master of obtaining.

Afterward, he posed with the helmet. His purchase made gossip-column news: a flourish of generosity, by a mogul with money to burn. “The Donald giveth, and The Donald payeth,” wrote the Palm Beach Daily News. “Blessed be the name of The Donald.” 

So, aside from being sleazy and disgusting, does this violate IRS rules?

It all depends on what happened to the helmet.

The Post, quoting tax experts, says that if Trump kept the helmet for himself, likely, it does violate IRS rules. If he gave it to a friend, that too is likely a violation. If he gave it to another charity, say, to auction off, not against IRS rules.

“Trump’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment,” the Post notes. “In a Wall Street Journal video of Trump’s business office in New York last year, he showed off a table of sports helmets — but the Tebow helmet did not appear to be among them.”

 

Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license