A judge has ruled former President Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump must give depositions in probe of their business practices by the New York Attorney General’s office, who said: “No one is above the law.”
Trump, Trump Jr., and Ivanka must testify in NY AG probe of family business practices, judge rules
A New York judge ruled on Thursday that former President Donald Trump and his two children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, must comply with subpoenas that seek to question them about the Trump organization.
The judge ruled that the trio must appear for depositions under oath in the long-running civil investigation into the family’s business practices by the New York Attorney General’s office, the Washington Post reported.
The ruling follows a contentious hearing where attorneys for the trio attacked New York Attorney General Letitia James for conducting what they called a probe tainted by political bias and a violation of the former president’s constitutional rights, CNBC reported.
According to Judge Arthur Engoron of the New York State Supreme Court, in his ruling on Thursday, the argument attorneys for Trump and his two children made to quash subpoenas “completely misses the mark.” ABC reported that the judge gave the Trump family 21 days to appear and sit for depositions.
The New York Attorney General’s office investigation, headed by James, investigates whether the Trump organization improperly stated the valuations of various real estate assets it holds to obtain more favorable loans, insurance rates, and tax benefits.
Trump family has a right to refuse questions
“This argument completely misses the mark,” Judge Engoron’s decision said. “Neither OAG nor the Manhattan District Attorney’s office has subpoenaed the New Trump Respondents to appear before a grand jury.”
“The New Trump Respondents’ argument overlooks the salient fact that they have an absolute right to refuse to answer questions that they claim may incriminate them,” the judge added.
The judge also noted that, two years ago, when Trump’s son Eric sat for a deposition two years ago as part of the same investigation, he invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 500 times.
Attorney General: “No one is above the law”
“Today, justice prevailed,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said, responding to the decision. “Donald J. Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., and Ivanka Trump have been ordered by the court to comply with our lawful investigation into Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization’s financial dealings.”
“No one will be permitted to stand in the way of the pursuit of justice, no matter how powerful they are,” James added. “No one is above the law.”
