Trump Sues JCOPE to Force Action on Complaint

The Daily News reports that Donald Trump is asking the State Supreme Court in Albany to force the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) to take action on his December 2013 complaint against Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

The story started in August 2013 with Attorney General Schneiderman suing Donald Trump and Trump University for “engaging in persistent fraudulent, illegal and deceptive conduct” and for operating as an unlicensed educational institute.

Mr. Trump responded in December by filing a complaint against the Attorney General with JCOPE, alleging that Schneiderman sought political favors from Trump’s daughter and son-in-law while the investigation against Trump University was under way.

The lawsuit claims that JCOPE failed to vote on whether to commence an investigation within 45 days of receiving the complaint, as required by Executive Law § 94(13)(a). It asks the court to order JCOPE to take such a vote, and to

Read the complaint and supporting material here.

I have no insights as to whether or not Mr. Trump’s original complaint has any basis in fact, but the case could have important implications for how complaints filed with JCOPE are handled in the future.