Just in time for Memorial Day, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump has made good on his promise to donate $1 million of his own money to a veterans' charity.
"We got the check yesterday," James Kallstrom, chairman of the board of directors for the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation (MC-LEF), told The Washington Post today. "It's arrived, and it's in the bank."
Welcome cash surprise: The donation was finalized the evening of May 23, according to the Post, nearly four months after Trump's campaign held a televised fundraiser in Des Moines, Iowa, that the candidate attended instead of participating in a GOP candidates' debate.
Depending on Trump's annual income, which we don't know since he hasn't released any recent tax returns, the likely GOP candidate for the White House could deduct some or all of his contribution to the Internal Revenue Service approved 501(c)3 organization.
Kallstrom said MC-LEF, which provides help for families of fallen Marines and federal law enforcement officers, had no idea it would be getting Trump's money. It is one of the larger donations the group has received, but Kallstrom told the D.C. newspaper that it wasn't the organization's biggest gift ever.
Organization's history: MC-LEF was created in 1995. Its first distribution that year was $260,300 toward 32 scholarships following the Oklahoma City federal building bombing.
By 2015, the group had passed the $67 million mark in scholarships and humanitarian aid.
MC-LEF partners include conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh's Two If By Tea and SERKET Racing.
No explanation offered: Kallstrom also said The Donald's people gave no explanation for the gift or its timing and he didn't ask.
But the donation comes just days after questions were raised by the media (including here at the ol' blog) about the Jan. 28 fundraiser's accounting and why it was taking so long for the money to be distributed.
Sometimes wheels get greased even if they aren't the ones squeaking.
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