New York Attorney General Letitia James on April 7 asked that Donald Trump be held in contempt of court following Trump”™s latest moves to avoid turning over to James”™ investigators documents they have been seeking in their investigation of Trump, his children, and various Trump real estate operations. James’ filing asks that the court fine Trump $10,000 a day until he produces the required documents.
The move by James came in a filing with New York State Supreme Court in New York County. Judge Arthur Engoron had ruled that Trump, his children and various entities had to comply with subpoenas issued by James”™ office to testify and produce documents for her investigators.
Included were documents related to the valuation of certain Trump properties, including the Seven Springs Estate in Westchester. James has been investigating whether bank, insurance and tax fraud may have been committed by Trump and various Trump entities in connection with certain Trump properties..
Trump was initially ordered to produce the documents for James by March 3, but after the Trump side asked for additional time an agreement was reached to extend the compliance date to March 31. Instead of producing the documents on March 31, Trump submitted new objections to producing the documents that had been subpoenaed.
“The judge”™s order was crystal clear: Donald J. Trump must comply with our subpoena and turn over relevant documents to my office,” James said. “Instead of obeying a court order, Mr. Trump is trying to evade it. We are seeking the court”™s immediate intervention because no one is above the law.”
In the court filing, James referred to what Trump has been doing as “contemptuous conduct.” The filing said that a fine of $10,000 a day would be enough to bring about his compliance with the previous court order. It also asked for the Office of Attorney General to be awarded costs and fees associated with the contempt filing, as well as any other awards the court decides are necessary and appropriate.
