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NEW YORK (AP) – A New York judge ordered President Donald Trump’s son Eric on Wednesday (Sept. 23) to be available by Oct. 7 to be interviewed under oath for a state investigation into the financing of private property. from your family’s business.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron said Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, offered no reason to delay his deposition before the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James until after the US presidential election. November 3.
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At a hearing, Engoron said that Trump’s argument that he was too busy working on his father’s re-election bid was not convincing and said it was “not subject to national election deadlines.”
Eric Trump’s attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Engoron also ordered the Trump Organization to turn over some financial documents that James was seeking.
James has been conducting a civil investigation into “possible fraud or illegality” into whether Donald Trump and the Trump Organization overstated the value of assets to obtain loans and tax benefits.
Their investigation began after Donald Trump’s former personal attorney and repairman Michael Cohen told Congress that the president had inflated some asset values to save money on loans and insurance, and deflated other asset values to reduce taxes. real estate.
James originally cited Eric Trump’s testimony on May 26. A deposition scheduled for July 22 was canceled when Trump changed his legal team. His new lawyers were seeking a further delay until November 19 or later.
Matthew Colangelo, James’ attorney, said the threat of “personal inconvenience” to Eric Trump did not justify waiting that long.
“Mr. Trump should not be able to profit from his own delaying conduct,” Colangelo told the judge.
James’ research has focused on four properties: Seven Springs Estate in Westchester County, New York; 40 Wall Street in Manhattan; the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago, and the Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles.
In a statement, James said the judge’s order makes clear that “not even an organization or individual by the name of Trump” can dictate the parameters of his “legal investigation.”
Laws have not been found to have been violated.
The investigation is separate from a criminal investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, who is seeking eight years of Donald Trump’s tax returns via a separate subpoena.
Vance has said in court filings that he may have grounds to investigate Donald Trump and the Trump Organization for tax fraud, and that his investigation relates to reports of possible insurance and banking fraud by the company and its officials.
A federal appeals court is scheduled to hear Trump’s appeal Friday of an order allowing Vance to obtain his tax returns.
Trump is a Republican, while James and Vance are Democrats.
