Former President Donald Trump. Win McNamee/Getty Images
Donald Trump called Mark Zuckerberg a criminal and attacked him as Facebook founder.
Trump erroneously suggested that Zuckerberg's donation of $400 million to electoral causes was suspicious.
There is no evidence Zuckerberg used Zuckerberg's donation in an improper manner.
In an angry statement, former US President Donald Trump attacked Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg. He claimed that a $400million donation he made last year to local elections offices makes him a "criminal."
Trump sent a statement via email to his supporters, saying that Mark Zuckerberg is a criminal and allowed to spend more than $400 million.
Trump seemed to be referring the $400 million Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla donated to local elections last year.
They were to adapt to the changes in voting patterns that occurred as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The money was used to purchase personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks, as well equipment for processing mail ballots, according to the Associated Press.
While there is no evidence Zuckerberg made illegal or partisan donations, Trump's remarks echoed the outrage of Republicans about the move.
In October 2013, a Republican legal group tried to prevent the money being used in nine swing state. They called it "an insidious and coordinated campaign to manipulate this election year."
Zuckerberg denied that the funds were used in a partisan way.
In October 2013, he stated that there had been numerous lawsuits filed to stop the funds being used. These lawsuits were based on allegations that the recipients of donations are pursuing partisan agendas.
"This is false. These funds will be used to benefit communities across the country - urban, rural, and suburban - and they are being distributed by non-partisan organisations.
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Trump has been pushing baseless claims of widespread fraud in elections since his January departure. He also made similar claims regarding Zuckerberg in an angry note to The Washington Post published Wednesday.
He pointed out that part of Zuckerberg’s donation had been given to Pennsylvania voting systems as proof of his attempt to "interfere” in the state's elections results.
Pennsylvania voted in Joe Biden. As in other US states, Trump's allies tried to contest the results.
Business Insider has the original article.
