A survey of Trump on his company’s business practices was postponed in July – now he refused to testify under oath. The appointment comes at a sensitive time.
After the sensational search of his property in Florida, former US President Donald Trump remains in the sights of the judiciary. In New York on Wednesday, Trump said he refused to testify in the course of investigations into his business practices, as he announced on the “Truth Social” platform he co-founded.
The 76-year-old had previously arrived at the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James by court order for questioning under oath. Democrat James has been leading civil investigations into the Republican’s corporate empire for years. Trump again called this a “witch hunt”.
After that, there was another exchange between investigators and Trump’s lawyers, it said. The officials finally suspected that Trump or his team were still holding back important documents, wrote the Washington Post, citing anonymous sources. The FBI is said to have taken twelve boxes during the search. Trump was not at his property during the action.
“No better than a third world country, a banana republic”
Numerous powerful Republicans rallied behind Trump, who himself described the process as a “coordinated attack” by Democrats. On Tuesday, Trump wrote: “A terrible thing that happened yesterday in Mar-a-Lago. We are no better than a third world country, a banana republic.” He also accused US President Joe Biden of having been informed about the action in advance. The White House rejected such allegations.
When Trump was questioned in New York, the ex-president was likely to have been confronted with unpleasant questions, including suspected false valuations of real estate. Attorney General James says Trump and the Trump Organization used misleading financial reports to gain economic advantage. Trump’s company denies the allegations.
Ivanka and Don Jr. have already testified
According to a Fox News report, Trump was the last member of the family to be questioned. His children Ivanka and Don Jr. have already testified. After the death of Ivana Trump, the first wife of the former US President, the statements under oath planned by Donald Trump and their two children in July were initially postponed.
Trump may refuse to testify on the matter if he incriminates himself. Son Eric, who had to testify under oath in the matter in 2020, exercised this right hundreds of times during his questioning. However, such a step could be construed as disadvantageous in a possible process. Donald Trump is the founder of the Trump Organization, his two sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump are vice presidents of the company conglomerate, which is primarily active in the real estate sector.
Meanwhile, the influential Republicans rallied behind Trump after the Mar-a-Lagos search: “Our cities are teeming with criminals, but Garland’s politicized Justice Department is targeting President Trump and members of Congress,” said the Republican minority leader in the House of Representatives , Kevin McCarthy, addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland. The influential Republican Mitch McConnell, whom Trump himself repeatedly denigrates as an “old crow”, demanded that the Justice Department investigate the events immediately. Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley made a similar statement.
Support for Trump also from Pence
Even Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, backed him. “Yesterday’s action undermines public confidence in our legal system,” he said. The appearance of partiality on the part of the Justice Department must be removed. Pence recently distanced himself from Trump. He is said to have ambitions to run for the presidency in 2024. Trump also keeps flirting with a candidacy, but has not yet officially declared it.
Many Democrats had recently urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to launch an investigation into Trump in the wake of the new findings surrounding the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. Critics accused Garland of being too hesitant. The search of Trump’s property in the course of the affair about the missing documents was all the more surprising. Recently, however, there were also increasing indications that the Department of Justice was examining Trump’s behavior around January 6 and the 2020 presidential election more closely.
Source: Stern
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