New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is investigating former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s finances. | Seth Wenig/AP Photo Trump invites nemesis Schneiderman to U.N. reception

President Donald Trump invited his long-time nemesis New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to be his guest at a reception Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

While the gesture was extended as part of standard protocol, which includes invites to New York state and local elected officials, it’s notable given the extent of the current and prior investigations Schneiderman has launched into Trump family dealings – and because of Trump’s reputation for flouting protocol.


Trump has had a particularly venomous relationship with the Democratic politician, who oversaw a long-running fraud investigation into Trump University. Schneiderman has also opened inquiries into Trump’s charity as well as his son Eric’s personal foundation.

Further, the attorney general’s office is investigating former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s finances—and cooperating with FBI special counsel Robert Mueller, who’s overseeing the broader Russia probe in Washington.

The event has been billed as a diplomatic reception with a photo opportunity with Trump and leaders of United Nations member states.

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A spokesperson for Schneiderman said he wouldn’t attend. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders noted that it’s standard practice for the president to invite New York officials to the event.

In 2013, Trump tweeted “Lightweight NYS Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is trying to extort me with a civil law suit.” He subsequently called Schneiderman a “hack,” among other insults, and countersued, asking for more than $100 million for the attorney general’s “malicious prosecution” regarding Trump University.

Shortly after the election, Trump agreed to a $25 million multi-state settlement to litigation against the now-defunct program.

Even though Trump won’t be rubbing elbows with Schneiderman on Tuesday night, the president has recently been schmoozing other Democratic officials. Last week, he embraced Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who he has previously referred to as a clown, by agreeing to a Democratic deal on the debt ceiling government funding.

He also has pledged to work with Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on a solution for Dreamers, the undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.