Remember -- Donald Trump used 9/11 funds program to net $150G payday [View all]

[napkinz]

Donald Trump made a pretty penny off a program to help small businesses hurt by 9/11, one of many times where The Donald took advantage of government programs to save or make money off the taxpayer.

The self-proclaimed billionaire, who has so far refused to release his tax returns, was one of many wealthy individuals and businesses who used a loophole in a program intended to help smaller companies in lower Manhattan recover after the Sept. 11 tragedy.

Trump got $150,000 for his swanky property at 40 Wall Street because the Empire State Development Corporation, run by the state, didn't enforce federal guidelines on what defines a small business. Instead, the state used much looser rules that let The Donald and others including Morgan Stanley and Bank of China take money that was earmarked by Congress to help small business owners in the neighborhood recover after the tragic attacks, a 2006 Daily News expose found.

Locals say Trump, who used the bravery of 9/11 responders to counter-punch when Ted Cruz maligned his "New York values" during the Republican primary, didn't live up to the term.

read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/donald-trump-9-11-funds-program-net-150g-payday-article-1.2641951