WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 29: U.S. President Donald Trump pauses during a news conference at the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House February 29, 2020 in Washington, DC. Department of Health in Washington State has reported the first death in the U.S. related to the coronavirus. (Image: Getty)
A New York judge is holding former President Donald Trump in civil contempt after attorney general Letitia James‘ office reported that he refused to comply with a court order that required him to turn over documents as part of the investigation into the Trump Organization’s finances.
“Mr. Trump, I know you take your business seriously and I take mine seriously. I hereby hold you in civil contempt and fine you $10,000 per day until you purge that contempt,” Judge Arthur Engoron said on Monday.
The start date of the fines has not yet been declared but the announcement is expected Tuesday.
“Today, justice prevailed,” James wrote in a tweet. “Our investigation into Donald Trump and the Trump Organization’s financial dealings will continue undeterred because no one is above the law.”
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When James requested that Trump be held in civil contempt earlier this month, she said that Trump “did not comply at all” with the subpoena. He had agreed to produce certain documents by March 31, but his attorney said that they couldn’t find the documents.
Trump attorney Alina Habba said that Trump plans to appeal the ruling, calling the subpoena’s requirements “grossly overbroad.”
James is investigating potential fraud in the Trump Organization’s valuation process after finding that statements used by outsiders such as banks and the Internal Revenue Service to evaluate the financial condition of the company did not align with the statements received by Trump accountants.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and called the attorney general’s probe “a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time.”
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