A Manhattan judge ruled on Thursday that former President Donald Trump must give a deposition and give personal business documents in the New York Attorney General's civil probe into alleged financial wrongdoing at the Trump Organization.
The judge ruled that the two adult children of the former president must comply with the subpoenas. He ordered them to sit for depositions within 21 days.
Lawyers for the Trump family argued in court that their clients should not have to comply with civil subpoenas because they could be used in a criminal investigation.
The Trump legal team argued that they have an absolute right to refuse to answer questions that they claim may incriminate them.
Eric Trump invoked the right against self-incrimination more than 500 times during his one-day deposition.
Lawyers for James and Trump argued over whether the former president and his two adult children should have to comply with the AG's subpoenas.
If investigators want Donald Trump to testify, they should subpoena him, argued Alan Futerfas, who represents the Trump Organization.
Trump's attorney had argued that he should be put in a grand jury to get immunity from criminal prosecution.
That argument was rejected by Engoron.
The Fifth Amendment can't be used as a shield against questions or the investigation itself, but it can be used as a sword.
In state and federal court filings, Trump has argued that James should not be allowed to serve as New York's top law enforcement officer because of her political bias.
James called Trump an illegitimate president and warned that he should be careful of her. In federal court, his lawyer asked the judge to stop the investigation because it was politically motivated.
Dennis Vacco, a former New York Attorney General, told Insider of Trump's lawyers arguments on Thursday that they don't trust the AG because he is politically motivated.
If they really want to hear what Trump has to say, they have to put him before a grand jury, where there is no risk of a political prosecution.
In court papers filed last month, James' office said that they have "uncovered substantial evidence" of misrepresentations in Mr. Trump's financial statements.
In light of the findings of James, Mazars USA sent a letter to the Trump Organization saying that their statements of financial condition should no longer be relied upon.
While we have not concluded that the various financial statements, as a whole, contain material discrepancies, based upon the totality of the circumstances, we believe our advice to you to no longer rely upon those financial statements is appropriate.
Mazars said that it will no longer be able to provide any new work product to the Trump Organization because of its decision regarding Trump's statements.
The documents provided ample basis for the legitimacy of the investigation, despite the chided statements of James.
More than a dozen current and former Trump Organization executives have already complied with her subpoenas and given testimony, though many, she has complained, were less than helpful on the stand.
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