‘Trump has willfully disobeyed a lawful order of this court,’ NY judge says as $10,000 per-day contempt fines start

Donald Trump, president and chief executive of Trump Organization Inc. and 2016 Republican presidential candidate, left, awards a $100,000 check to a veterans charity during a campaign event at the Orpheum Theater in Sioux City, Iowa, U.S., on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016.

Mr. Ex- President, the check is due now.

A New York judge found Donald Trump in contempt of court and ordered him to pay a fine of $10,000 per day.

The Manhattan Supreme Court Judge wrote that Mr. Trump had willfully disobeyed a lawful order of the court.

The written order came a day after the hearing in which the judge ruled that Trump was in contempt.

The Attorney General is investigating the Trump Organization and Trump in connection with allegations that the company manipulated the valuations of various real estate assets to gain more favorable financial terms for loans and insurance, and to lower their tax liabilities.

The Trump Organization denies any wrongdoing, and the Republican Trump has accused James of being a witch hunt.

Each day that passes without compliance, by Trump with James, the attorney general's civil investigation, and further prejudices.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, U.S. February 26, 2022.

The judge ordered Trump to pay $10,000 per day until he complies with the subpoena. The order left open the possibility that Trump could satisfy the subpoena by detailing in a sworn statement that he had conducted a thorough search for the records, which his lawyer has claimed he was unable to find.

Trump's attorney said Monday that she will file an appeal of the contempt-of-court finding against the former president.

In February, Trump was ordered to give certain documents to James.

James asked the judge to hold Trump in contempt for failing to surrender those documents, and for instead waiting until the deadline for the order on March 31 to raise objections to the subpoena, and for claiming to the AG that he was unable to locate any of the documents.

In his order Tuesday, Engoron wrote that Trump had waive his right to raise objections to the subpoena by not timely, making them known when he tried to get the judge to quash the subpoena.

Mr. Trump had stipulated to produce all the documents by March 31, 2022.

The judge called the claim by Habba that a search for the records had not turned up anything responsive to the subpoena "woefully inadequate."

New York case law requires a person to conduct a search for records to reveal who they are.

The Attorney General's Office detailed assertions that Mr. Trump failed to search many file cabinets.

The affidavit that Habba gave the court provided no proof that the search was thorough or that it had been done in good faith.

The best practice would have been for Mr. Trump to submit an affidavit himself, but he didn't do that.

On Monday, after finding Trump in contempt, Engoron ordered the commercial real-estate services giant to comply with subpoenas issued by the James office about its appraisals of several Trump Organization properties.

The Seven Springs Estate, Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles, and 40 Wall Street are all owned by Donald Trump.

James said in a statement Monday that the work for Donald J. Trump and the Trump Organization is relevant to the investigation.

While we acknowledge today's ruling, any suggestion that the Attorney General has not responded in good faith continues.

The company said during the hearing that they have devoted significant time, resources and expense in their efforts to cooperate with the Attorney General's investigation.