Sunlight Foundation: N.Y. attorney general probes Trump nonprofit, turns a blind eye to Clinton Foundation
Meredith McGehee, policy director at the Campaign Legal Center, was surprised by the timing of Schneiderman’s investigation.
“It politicizes what should be a law enforcement matter,” said McGehee. “There can be some real downsides as it makes people wonder if there’s a political motivation. Tradition in this country is that [attorneys general] are not political, but they’re elected. They’re political creatures by nature.”
“It’s a political judgment question,” said McGehee. “Schneiderman has political authority but the expectation is that the attorneys general will ensure the law is enforced above politics. That’s been the tradition in this country and seeing this brings that tradition into question.”
While Wonderlich advocates for following the letter of the law, McGehee thinks both investigations run the risk of politicking.
“He shouldn’t be investigating either Trump or Clinton,” said McGehee. “It’s not the time for either. We’re now in the silly season. He shouldn’t be engaging in any of these investigations at this moment.”