A judge ruled that former President Trump and his children – Ivanka and Donald Jr., must sit for depositions within 21 days and produce requested documents within 14. Attorneys representing Trump attempted to have the depositions squashed, claiming the investigation against their clients represents a violation of both the U.S. and New York constitutions. File photo: Mark Reinstein, Shutter Stock, licensed.
MANHATTAN, NY – On Friday, a judge ruled that former President Donald Trump – along with his children Ivanka and Donald Jr. – must be deposed as a part of an investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James into accusations that the Trump Organization illegally inflated and/or deflated the value of some of its assets for economic benefits, including tax breaks and loans.
Trump and his children – Ivanka and Donald Jr., have served as executives at the Trump Organization – and now must sit for the depositions within 21 days of the James’ order, and produce requested documents within 14 days. However, the judge noted that all parties have the right to invoke their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
Attorneys representing Trump attempted to have the depositions squashed, claiming that the investigation against their clients represents a violation of both the U.S. and New York constitutions.
But New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron disagreed with that assessment, saying that the prosecution’s arguments that Trump and his children should testify in the case “to be unavailing and/or non-dispositive,” and that James had uncovered “copious evidence of possible financial fraud” against the Trump Organization.
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Trump released a statement on the judge’s decision in James’ case, comparing it to the lack of perceived action yet to be taken against his political opponent, Hillary Clinton, who was recently revealed to have paid a tech firm to hack into servers at Trump Tower and the White House during the 2016 presidential campaign in order to establish links between Trump and Russia.
BREAKING: A judge has ruled that former Pres. Donald Trump and his two children, Ivanka and Donald Jr., must testify in the investigation by the New York state attorney general. https://t.co/XcagPcrrso
— ABC News (@ABC) February 17, 2022
BREAKING: Judge orders former President Trump, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. to answer questions under oath about the Trump Org.’s business practices. pic.twitter.com/tHe5UPcUCp
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) February 17, 2022
“So, Crooked Hillary Clinton, one of the most corrupt politicians ever to run for President, can break into the White House, my apartment, buildings I own, and my campaign – in other words, she can spy on a Presidential candidate and ultimately the President of the United States – and the now totally discredited Fake News Media does everything they can not to talk about it,” he said. “On the other hand, failed Gubernatorial candidate, Letitia James, can run for the office of AG on saying absolutely horrendous and false things about Donald Trump, a man she doesn’t know and has never met, go on to get elected, and then selectively prosecute him and his family.”
Trump claimed that James has “NO CASE” and that the entire complaint is centered around the “Radical Left Democrats” not wanting him to run for re-election in 2024.
“She is doing everything within their corrupt discretion to interfere with my business relationships, and with the political process,” Trump’s statement continued. “With the rest of the case, even Cy Vance, who just left the DA’s office without prosecuting anything additional, because there isn’t anything additional to prosecute—THERE IS NO CASE! The targeting of a President of the United States, who got more votes while in office than any President in History, by far, and is a person that the Radical Left Democrats don’t want to run again, represents an unconstitutional attack on our Country—and the people will not allow this travesty of justice to happen. It is a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in history—and remember, I can’t get a fair hearing in New York because of the hatred of me by Judges and the judiciary. It is not possible!”