Donald Jr. and Ivanka Trump refuse to comply with subpoena from NY attorney general
Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump have refused to comply with subpoenas issued by the New York attorney general as part of an investigation into their father's business practices, ABC News reports.
According to The New York Times, New York Attorney General Letitia James' civil inquiry "is focused on whether Mr. Trump fraudulently inflated the value of his assets to secure bank loans and understated them elsewhere to reduce his tax bill."
James subpoenaed former President Donald Trump and his two oldest children on Dec. 1. The former president's involvement was made public within days, but the subpoenas targeting Donald Jr. and Ivanka first came to light in a court document released Monday.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Donald Jr. helped run the Trump Organization during his father's presidency, while Ivanka worked in the West Wing as a presidential adviser. Both said they plan to file motions to quash the subpoenas.
President Trump's younger son, Eric, was questioned by James' office in October 2020.
Based on her findings, James has the authority to file a civil lawsuit but cannot pursue criminal charges — in other words, if any of the Trumps ever end up behind bars, it won't be over this. James is, however, also involved in a criminal tax-avoidance investigation into the Trump Organization led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
After receiving his subpoena last month, President Trump filed a lawsuit contending that James' investigation was "guided solely by political animus." The lawsuit, to which James' office has not yet responded in court, also claims that any testimony the former president gave in the civil inquiry might then be used against him in the criminal investigation, thus violating his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid war
Speed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emerge
Speed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in Russia
Speed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sri Lanka's new Marxist leader wins huge majority
Speed Read The left-leaning coalition of newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 159 of the legislature's 225 seats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden arrives in Peru for final summits
Speed Read President Joe Biden will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, visit the Amazon rainforest and attend two major international summits
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published