New York AG James Tries To Compel Trump Kids To Release Documents In Fraud Investigation

New York Attorney General Letitia James filed court documents Tuesday night to require former President Donald Trump and his two children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump to testify in an investigation into the Trump Organization‘s finances.

Trump sued James last month, claiming her investigations were a political move to bring down an opponent rather than a law enforcement matter. James responded by saying suits like that only delayed justice. When James subpoenaed Trump Jr. and Ivanka earlier this month, the Trumps called it “an unprecedented and unconstitutional maneuver.” James refuted their claims in the court document, saying that subpoenas of current and former top company officials are routine in financial investigations.

“No one in this country can pick and choose if and how the law applies to them,” James added in a Twitter thread yesterday. “We have uncovered significant evidence indicating that the Trump Organization used fraudulent and misleading asset valuations on multiple properties to obtain economic benefits, including loans, insurance coverage, and tax deductions for years.”

The document also stated that the Trumps have presented no valid reason to disregard the subpoenas.

The investigation into the organization’s finances began in 2019 after a testimony from former Trump lawyer, Michael Cohen.

“The Office of the Attorney General has determined that the statements … described Mr. Trump’s valuation process in broad terms and in ways which were often inaccurate or misleading,” the AG’s office said, “when compared with the supporting data and documentation that the Trump Organization submitted to its accounting firm.”

The attorney general’s probe found that statements used by outsiders to evaluate the financial condition of the organization did not match the documents that were given to Trump accountants. Examples include misvalued real estate recorded in statements to receive loans. Some of the properties named in the statements included Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue and the Trump National Golf Club in Westchester.