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.
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.
-
August 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Tuesday's political cartoons include an unflattering jobs report, Democrat weakness, and the minimum wage
-
Why is the world so divided over plastics?
Today's Big Question UN negotiations on first global plastic treaty are at stake, as fossil fuel companies, petrostates and plastic industry work to resist a legal cap on production
-
Temple Mount: the politics of Judaism's holiest site
The Explainer Latest provocation at religious site with a history of 'perpetual friction' risks violence erupting again
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting vote
Speed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts
-
Trump criticized for firing BLS chief after jobs report
Speed Read Bureau of Labor Statistics chief Erika McEntarfer oversaw a July jobs report that the president claims was rigged
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
-
Trump sets new tariff rates as deadline nears
Speed Read New tariff rates for South Korea, Brazil and India announced
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardon
Talking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein