WWE discovered Vince McMahon paid $5 million to Donald Trump’s foundation

Former World Wrestling Entertainment boss Vince McMahon paid $5 million of around $20 million previously unrecorded expenses to Donald Trump's foundation in 2007 and 2009, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.

The report comes weeks after McMahon retired as CEO of the company amid investigations into hush payments he made related to alleged sexual misconduct. WWE has since said its board's independent probe into the matter is "substantially complete."

While the majority of the $20 million in payments went to women who accused McMahon and another WWE executive of sexual misconduct, another $5 million was used for unrelated purposes, according to a recent securities filing.

The $5 million represented charitable donations to the now-dissolved Donald J. Trump Foundation, the Journal reported, citing sources. The donations were given during two years that Trump made appearances on televised WWE events.

The WWE didn't immediately return a request for comment.

Trump dissolved this foundation as part of a settlement with the New York state attorney general's office in 2018, when a lawsuit alleged Trump had misused the charity's funds for his 2016 presidential campaign, to pay legal settlements and promote his business.

This news comes less than a month after the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors launched probes into the $14.6 million in payments made by McMahon to settle allegations of sexual misconduct.

The $5 million in contribution payments should have been cataloged as business expenses, because McMahon was a principal shareholder and the payments benefited the company, an attorney for WWE told WSJ.

The first of the two appearances resulted in a $1 million fee for Trump and a personal contribution from the McMahons of $4 million to his foundation. For his second appearance, Trump was paid $100,000 and McMahon and his wife, Linda, donated $1 million to the foundation.

While the $5 million was listed on the foundation tax returns as coming directly from WWE, the company said in its security filings this month that the payments came directly from McMahon personally.

Vince McMahon is still the top shareholder in WWE despite having left the company. His daughter, Stephanie McMahon, is now working as co-CEO, along with executive Nick Khan.

Linda McMahon served as Small Business Administration chief in Trump's Cabinet. Trump, who hosted two Wrestlemania events in Atlantic City in the 1980s, is enshrined in the WWE's Hall of Fame.

source: cnbc.com

Linda McMahon Responds To Reporter About Vince Mcmahon’s Retirement

Outkick is reporting that during the America First Policy Institute’s conference, Linda McMahon was asked by a reporter about her husband Vince McMahon retiring from WWE and what she thought.

Linda at first refused to comment, but then followed up with a brief statement saying, "You know what, he’ll just be deciding on how he’s going to spend his free time. I think that’s a good thing."

Vince’s daughter Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan were named co-CEOs of WWE following his departure.

Linda McMahon Named Chairman of the Center for the American Woman

FPI ANNOUNCES CHAIR OF THE CENTER FOR THE AMERICAN WORKER

Today, America First Policy Institute (AFPI) announced that Linda McMahon, Chair of the Board for AFPI, will also serve as AFPI’s Chairman of the Center for the American Worker.

“There is no stronger advocate or voice for the American worker and their employers than Linda McMahon—an entrepreneur who helped grow a two-person small business to a worldwide, publicly traded corporation that employs hundreds. While serving as the 25th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, she advocated on behalf of the 30 million small businesses in America—the backbone of our Nation’s economy,” said AFPI President/CEO Brooke Rollins. “I am excited for Linda to carry out AFPI’s mission putting the American worker FIRST.”

“The American worker is the heart of our country,” said Linda McMahon. “AFPI’s Center for the American Worker will reignite the focus on the dignity of work. We have to make sure that the workers, the innovators, and the entrepreneurs who bring these businesses to life have the tools and skills that they need for their workforce.”

Donald Trump Tweets About Triple H For His 25th Anniversary Celebration

On last night's SmackDown, Triple H celebrated 25 years in wrestling in a near 30-minute segment that featured WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon. Via phone, Triple H also received messages from WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair and Road Dogg, along with his wife, Stephanie McMahon.

Earlier this week, Chris Jericho and The Rocksent some kind words to "The Game" about their times in the ring.

Add President Donald Trump to the list after he responded to a tweet from Vince about Triple H.

"We didn't know it a quarter-century ago, but he would go on to change 'The Game' forever," Vince wrote on Twitter. "Happy 25th #WWE Anniversary to my son-in-law, @TripleH!"

"Triple H is a total winner!" Trump responded.

Trump was inducted into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

Donald Trump Taps Dana White, Mark Cuban, Vince McMahon as Advisors... 'We Need Sports'

Donald Trump is putting together a team of the most powerful people in U.S. sports to serve as advisors to get the country up and running again ... including Dana White, Adam Silver and Vince McMahon.

POTUS says the team will help advise him on how to restart the economy and get pro sports going again in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have to get sports back," Trump said at the White House ... "I'm tired of watching baseball games that are 14 years old."
Here are some of the names Trump mentioned ...

NBA Commish Adam Silver
NFL Commish Roger Goodell
NHL Commish Gary Bettman
MLB Commish Rob Manfred
Patriots Owner Robert Kraft
Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban
UFC President Dana White
WWE Owner Vince McMahon
Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones

He's also working with the top execs from the PGA, LPGA, NASCAR and MLS.

Trump says he will consult with everyone -- some people will be included in a group call, others will be 1-on-1.

source: tmz.com

Sheriff's Deputies Called To The WWE PC Over COVID-19 Order, Order Linked To Trump Super PAC?

The Orange County Sheriff's Department reportedly visited the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, FL several times over the last few weeks, in March and April, to tell the company that it was not in compliance with the "stay-at-home" Executive Order issued by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and that they had to shut the tapings down, according to Orlando reporters Jon Alba and Stephanie Coueignoux.

Alba reports that Orange County deputies were called again on Monday regarding the live RAW that aired on the USA Network. However, the new Executive Order from DeSantis, signed on April 9, already allowed for WWE to continue operations as an essential business. There's no word on who was calling the sheriff's department or how many calls they received since March. Coueignoux said deputies told her that on Monday "someone called to say there would be taping at the location that evening" and they responded to the Performance Center again before RAW, but the April 9 order allowed WWE to continue.

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Linda McMahon Donates Big Money To Donald Trump's 2020 Presidential Re-Election Campaign

Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon has donated a total of $366,200 to the 2020 Presidential re-election campaign for Donald Trump, according to data from the Federal Election Commission.

Three different payments were made on June 3 of this year. One donation was made to the Trump Victory PAC based in Massachusetts, for the amount of $360,600. Linda then made two donations of $2,800 each, for a total of $5,600, to Donald J. Trump For President, Inc., which is his Presidential re-election campaign.

The donations were made through Linda's LLC, McMahon Ventures, and were her first political donations since November 2016.

Trump, who was inducted into the Celebrity Wing of the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013, appointed Linda as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration back in 2016. She stepped down from the role at the end of March 2019. It was reported then that Linda was planning on helping with Trump's 2020 re-election campaign. CBS reported at the time that Linda would be working for America First Action, a pro-Trump Super PAC.

FEC data shows that Linda is the Chair of that America First Action Super PAC, and made a donation of $1 million back on May 28.

Linda McMahon To Step Down From Small Business Administration, Reportedly Raising Funds For Trump

Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon is expected to announce later today that she is stepping down as the head of the Small Business Administration.

Linda is expected to rejoin the private sector, according to Politico. Her exact plans are unclear, but a source close to Linda said she plans on playing a fundraising role for President Donald Trump's 2020 re-election campaign. Linda was expected to join Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida this weekend.

Trump named McMahon as the head of his SBA back in December 2016. Trump administration officials have long seen Linda as a leading contender to replace Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross when he eventually steps down, but that won't be happening.

How Did $5 Million Of Vince McMahon's Money Wind Up In The Trump Foundation?

Rumor Mill - Linda McMahon Reportedly Top Candidate for Promotion Within Trump Administration

WWE continues to make a strange amount of geopolitical headlines in 2018 as Linda McMahon is rumored for a bigger role in President Trump's cabinet.

We typically deal in wrestling rumors but turns out political rumors read the exact same. In a report from Politico, McMahon — who's currently running the Small Business Administration —may replace current Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross if he leaves the position.

“The leading candidate to replace Ross if that happens is now Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. McMahon has made clear she is interested in the position and would accept it if it is offered, according to a source familiar with the conversations.”

“Whether Ross stays or goes will depend on the extent to which newly empowered Democrats in the House decide to probe the Commerce secretary’s finances and questions about his divestment of assets, a White House official said. If Democrats decide to press those issues, Ross could have a harder time staying.”

According to Politico's sources, McMahon is said to be interested in the role and would accept the promotion if it came her way.

President Trump and the McMahons have a relationship dating back to the 80's. Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013 and his connection to the McMahons has become his administration's most innocent subplot. Vince and Linda McMahon were active supporters of Trump's campaign, contributing millions to pro-Trump Super PACs.

Unlike Trump and the rest of his troops, McMahon rarely makes headlines which could make her potential promotion one of the Trump Administrations least controversial decisions.

However, WWE found itself in the thick of political drama ahead of it's latest trip to Saudi Arabia. After the death of Jamal Khashoggi, many American entities froze or severed their relationship with the Saudis. But despite waves of criticism from fans, the media, and even US Senators, WWE pressed forward with Saudi event, Crown Jewel.

McMahon was asked about WWE's tenacity regarding their relationship with Saudi Arabia, but she gracefully passed the buck to her husband and WWE patriarch Vince McMahon.

Vince McMahon didn't have much to say about WWE's choice to press forward with Crown Jewel, but WWE did release this statement during their Q3 earnings report.

“WWE has operated in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and has developed a sizable and dedicated fan base. Considering the heinous crime committed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the Company faced a very difficult decision as it relates to its event scheduled for November 2 in Riyadh.

Similar to other U.S.-based companies who plan to continue operations in Saudi Arabia, the Company has decided to uphold its contractual obligations to the General Sports Authority and stage the event. Full-year 2018 guidance is predicated on the staging of the Riyadh event as scheduled.”

Outside of the family business having active ties to a contentious Saudi regime, Linda McMahon's still remains one of Trump's most palatable appointments.

Linda McMahon Asked About WWE Crown Jewel In Saudi Arabia, If She Talks WWE With President Trump

Former WWE COO Linda McMahon recently spoke with TMZ Sports and said she's not responsible for WWE business when asked about the decision to move forward with Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia, despite the recent state-sponsored killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"If you want to talk WWE, you're talking to the wrong McMahon," Linda said.

TMZ pointed out how WWE is essentially a family-run business but Linda referred them to husband Vince McMahon.

"I don't run it and I'm not responsible for it," Linda said. "You gotta talk to Vince."

Linda, who now works as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, was also asked if she ever talks WWE with her new boss, President Trump, considering he's in the WWE Hall of Fame.

She said, "I talked to the President last about my trip going down to Panama City, which is where we're going to see what relief we can get for the folks down there."

WWE Crown Jewel Reportedly Sold Out

Earlier today, tickets went on sale for WWECrown Jewel on November 2 at the King Saud University Stadium in Saudi Arabia.

According to the Chairman of the General Sport Authority, the show has sold out. On Twitter he wrote, "In less than three hours, WWE tickets were sold in full."

In April, WWE Greatest Royal Rumble was held at King Abdullah Intentional Stadium and had an attendance of around 60,000 fans. The venue for Crown Jewel holds about 25,000 seats.

Earlier this week, WWE confirmed Crown Jewel would indeed take place from Saudi Arabia by releasing the following statement during their's Q3 Earnings results.

"WWE has operated in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and has developed a sizable and dedicated fan base. Considering the heinous crime committed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the Company faced a very difficult decision as it relates to its event scheduled for November 2 in Riyadh. Similar to other U.S.-based companies who plan to continue operations in Saudi Arabia, the Company has decided to uphold its contractual obligations to the General Sports Authority and stage the event. Full year 2018 guidance is predicated on the staging of the Riyadh event as scheduled."

Vince McMahon Asked During Earnings Call About WWE Continuing With Crown Jewel

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was quiet on WWE's working relationship with Saudi Arabia and the upcoming Crown Jewel event during today's third quarter earnings call from WWE HQ in Stamford, CT.

Vince noted in his opening statement that the company is looking forward to Evolution and Crown Jewel this weekend, but he did not name Saudi Arabia. WWE Co-President George Barrios later mentioned in his opening statement how it was a difficult decision to continue with Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.

The Q&A with investors opened up with a caller asking Vince about the Kingdom being a key market for WWE now. The caller also wanted to know Vince's thought process when deciding to keep Crown Jewel in the Kingdom. Vince responded by saying they were not going to talk a lot about that today. He added that it's naturally a very sensitive subject these days, and their statement in this morning's press release says all they want to say about the situation, for today at least.

Another investor later asked if WWE would hold more events in Saudi Arabia next year. Barrios answered and said they will know more about those plans in the next quarter when they have the plan for that year locked in. Another investor asked about potential outside risks WWE can't control when doing business with Saudi Arabia, such as government economic sanctions. Barrios turned the question down, citing the complexity of the situation and said everything they will say on the topic was in the statement from this morning.

WWE has faced growing criticism over their relationship with the Kingdom due to the disappearance and murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. WWE confirmed in today's Q3 earnings report that the event will go on as scheduled. Crown Jewel will take place on Friday, November 2 in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. For those who missed it, below is their statement:

"WWE has operated in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and has developed a sizable and dedicated fan base. Considering the heinous crime committed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the Company faced a very difficult decision as it relates to its event scheduled for November 2 in Riyadh. Similar to other U.S.-based companies who plan to continue operations in Saudi Arabia, the Company has decided to uphold its contractual obligations to the General Sports Authority and stage the event. Full year 2018 guidance is predicated on the staging of the Riyadh event as scheduled."

WWE Responds To Reported Dissent Among Talent Roster Over Crown Jewel

Earlier today Sports Illustrated's Justin Barrasso posted an article titled WWE Talent Is Uncomfortable With Saudi Arabia Show—And They Should Be. In his piece Barrasso made his case for why, considering the current political climate, WWE should pull out of their planned Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. Included in his editorial was insight from anonymous sources on the talent roster that have, "expressed discomfort with the idea of performing in Saudi Arabia."

Wrestling Inc reached out to WWE in regards to the rumored discomfort amongst some talents. WWE responded with the following, "As always, we maintain an open line of communication with our performers, as we continue to monitor the situation."

Update On WWE Holding Crown Jewel Event In Saudi Arabia

CNN is reporting on Twitter that Saudi Arabia is preparing to acknowledge the death of the reporter Jamal Khashoggi after previously denying it. As of this writing, WWE is still preparing to hold the Crown Jewel event.

The report which was leaked is said to be still in its 'preliminary stages', and it will say the interrogation 'was carried out without clearance and transparency and that those involved will be held responsible'.

As previously reported, the WWE Crown Jewel pay-per-view is still scheduled to take place on November 2nd, 2018 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the King Saud University Stadium and will air on the WWE Network.

WWE has been 'monitoring the situation' but will reportedly not cancel the event unless they are forced to do so by State Department or President Donald Trump.

The company has halted all references to Saudi on the social media and website, but it will be interesting to see how they address the situation on tonight's Raw which is in Philadelphia.

Senators Urge WWE To Hold Off Crown Jewel Event In Saudi Arabia

As a part of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's Saudi Vision 2030 plan, WWE agreed to hold multiple events in Saudi Arabia, including the upcoming WWE Crown Jewelevent on November 2. An event that is going to bring Shawn Michaels out of retirement, to team up with Triple H against The Undertakerand Kane. Events that have unfolded over the past week have now thrown those plans into jeopardy.

On October 2, Washington Post journalist and Saudi national Jamal Khashoggi disappeared from the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Intelligencereports have since indicated that Khashoggi was killed, in what was possibly a state-ordered kidnapping gone wrong. With Jamal being a United States resident, the incident has resulted in the Democrats and Republicans calling for investigation into the alleged murder, while the President of the United States himself has alluded to the possibility of the Saudi government being involved in Jamal's reported assassination.

Now, multiple Senators are questioning if WWE should still hold the upcoming November show in light of recent events. "I'd hope that they would be rethinking their relationship with the kingdom, especially with respect to events coming up in the next weeks like [WWE Crown Jewel]." Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told IJR.com.

Sen. Lindsey Graham responded, "there should be a pause," when asked by IJR about WWE working with the kingdom.

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) pointed to the connection Linda McMahon has in the president's cabinet (Small Business Administrator) and felt President Donald Trumpshould possibly ask WWE to hold off on Crown Jewel.

"Private enterprise is private enterprise, different than a governmental entity," Menendez said. "But because [Linda McMahon] is part of the president's cabinet, it falls into the grey area where the administration really should give it some thought and maybe even prevail upon them not doing it."

WWE Releases Statement On Crown Jewel Amid Growing Tensions

WWE Crown Jewel has been shaping up to be a mega-event, and considering the fact that the Crown Prince himself wanted to bring the WWEto Saudi Arabia, Shawn Michaels had agreed to come out of retirement for the event, eight years after calling it a day. As a part of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's Saudi Vision 2030 plan, WWE has agreed to put on multiple events in Saudi Arabia. However, the events that have unfolded over the past week have now thrown those plans into jeopardy.

On October 2nd, Washington Post journalist and Saudi national Jamal Khashoggi disappeared from the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Intelligence reports have since indicated that Khashoggi was killed, in what was possibly a state-ordered kidnapping gone wrong. With Jamal being a United States resident, the incident has resulted in the Democrats and Republicans calling for investigation into the alleged murder, while the President of the United States himself has alluded to the possibility of the Saudi government being involved in Jamal's reported assassination.

Washington Post reported yesterday that the Senate's top foreign policy lawmakers are now asking President Trump to impose sanctions against those who are found responsible for the journalist's disappearance, even if it includes the top officials from the Saudi government.

While WWE has remained tight-lipped about the situation, the organization released a statement to the media regarding the status of WWE Crown Jewel, saying, "We are currently monitoring the situation."

WWE had earlier visited Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with the Greatest Royal Rumble pay-per-view, and WWE Crown Jewel was scheduled to be WWE's second event in the region. We will update you on the status of WWE Crown Jewel as the story develops.

Kane Wins Election To Become Next Mayor Of Knox County, Tennessee

Glenn Jacobs is better known to WWE fans as Kane, but the citizens of Knox County, Tennessee will know him as Mayor.

Today's election for next Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee turned out in Jacob's favor when he pulled in 66.56% of the vote. Early and absentee voting showed Jacobs leading over Democrat Linda Haney by a 2-1 margin. When all was said and done 22,595 citizens cast their vote for Kane.

Jacobs announced his intentions to run for Mayor of Knox County Tennessee as a Republican in April 2017. He won the Republican primary election on May 2nd this year by only 23 votes and was expected to win the general election due to Knoxville's historically Republican population.

Shane McMahon Invested In Legal Marijuana Company

The New York Daily News wrote an article onShane McMahon investing $500,000 back in 2015 in a company called EnviroGrow that builds modules to assist in the growth of marijuana. The company sells their product only in states where the drug is legal for either medical or recreational use. The article also talked about Linda McMahon being include in the current administration's cabinet, and how Shane's investment is in contrast to the Attorney General Jeff Sessions' hard line stance against the drug.

News of this investment was revealed due to Shane filing a lawsuit last year to recoup his money. After making a visit to the company's production plant, he found it to be "nonexistent," and the owner of EnviroGrow refused to return Shane's investment.

WWE Fans Protesting Donald Trump In The Hall Of Fame At Barclays Center, Protests During SummerSlam?

A group of WWE fans held a protest outside of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn this evening to protest US President Donald Trump being in the WWE Hall of Fame, according toGothamist. The protest was led by 30 year old Brooklyn resident John Stevens, who is a big wrestling fan. Stevens and his friends are calling on WWE to "reject racism by tossing Trump from an honored spot with the company."

Stevens was joined by fans who are in town for SummerSlam, which will be held at the Barclays Center on Sunday. Stevens told Gothamist:

"We were talking about how Trump gave that crazy press conference, and then thought about how he's in the WWE Hall of Fame even though Hulk Hogan got kicked out over racism. What Trump has done is remarkably worse than what Hogan did, since he's dividing the country by siding with neo-Nazis and white nationalists."

"I was sickened by that press conference, and his response to Charlottesville. Basically WWE is endorsing those comments by having [Trump] in their hall of fame. I can't wrap my brain around the fact that they'd leave him in there, take Hogan out and claim they say they care about racism."

Stevens also runs a website, racistwwe.com. He noted that some of his supporters attended a signing with WWE Champion Jinder Mahal on Thursday night to hand out flyers for the website and protest. Stevens says despiteLinda McMahon acting as Trump's Small Business Administration head, WWE needs to make a choice or face the backlash.

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