NY attorney general orders Trump Foundation to cease fundraising in state

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The New York State Attorney General's office has issued a cease and desist to the Trump Foundation to stop soliciting contributions in New York.

According to the order, the Trump Foundation does not have the proper certification to solicit donations in the state.

The notice states that the Trump Foundation "is in violation of section 172 of Article 7-A New York's Executive Law, which requires charitable organizations that solicit contributions in New York State to register with the Charities Bureau and to provide annual financial reports and annual audited financial statements."

Democratic Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has been investigating Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's foundation following Washington Post reports that foundation spending personally benefited the candidate. The newspaper, citing tax records, also reported that the charity has been funded entirely from outside donations since 2008, when Trump made his last contribution to it.

Schneiderman says despite failing to register, the Trump Foundation solicited contributions in New York State earlier this year, in violation of the law.

James Sheehan with the attorney general's office says failure to stop immediately and answer demands for all delinquent financial reports within 15 days "shall be deemed a continuing fraud upon the people of the state of New York."

The Trump Foundation says it is fully cooperating with the investigation.

The campaign has previously called Schneiderman "a partisan hack who has turned a blind eye to the Clinton Foundation for years and has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president."

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Some information from the Associated Press