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A New York judge on Thursday ruled that former President Donald Trump and two of his children must testify under oath in a New York civil investigation into his business practices.
State Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump and his two eldest children, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr., to comply with subpoenas issued in January by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is probing Trump’s real estate development group.
Trump and his two children must sit for a deposition within 21 days, said Engoron, who issued the ruling after a two-hour hearing with lawyers for the Trumps and James’ office.
“In the final analysis, a State Attorney General commences investigating a business entity, uncovers copious evidence of possible financial fraud, and wants to question, under oath, several of the entities’ principals, including its namesake. She has the clear right to do so,” Engoron wrote in his decision.
James has been investigating whether the Trump Organization misstated the value of its assets on annual financial statements, tax submissions and other documents in order to secure loans and insurance coverage and obtain other economic and tax benefits.
The family has said the probe is baseless, and the former president’s adult children previously asked a judge to quash what they called an “unprecedented and unconstitutional” bid for their testimony after being subpoenaed in December.
James celebrated the ruling in a statement, saying, “Today, justice prevailed.”
“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. No one is above the law.”
Trump reacted to the ruling in a statement Thursday evening.
“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,” Trump said.
“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!”
Lawyers for Trump indicated they intend to appeal the ruling.
