MSNBC legal analyst Danny Cevallos said Tuesday that President Trump agreed to close the foundation that bears his name in an effort to avoid a civil case that could expose evidence, which could later be used in criminal proceedings.
Fellow panelist Ari Melber noted that prosecutors in New York had tied "campaign illegality" to the Trump Foundation's operations, when host Craig Melvin asked if dissolving the nonprofit would "create some sort of immunity for future prosecution for criminal activity."
"Not at all," replied Cevallos. "All it does, and I suspect the strategic move if the defense team sought this move, is that they get rid of one of the counts of the complaint against them."
"They want to avoid at all costs civil discovery, which can be devastating and it can unearth information that can be used both in civil context and the criminal context," he added as Melvin laughingly described the how the foundation "had been used to pay off legal bills, to buy artwork, golf clubs."
"Self-portraits," chimed in Melber. "Classic charitable item, a portrait of yourself."
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