Judge orders Eric Trump to testify before Election Day
Eric Trump must respond to a subpoena by the New York Attorney General Letitia James
President Donald Trump’s middle son is being forced to testify after he has been avoiding it for months.
Eric Trump sits as an executive in the Trump Organization and is being subpoenaed by the New York Attorney General in regards to an investigation into the president’s real estate properties.
The organization is being accused of inflating the values on some of its properties. According to CNBC, back in 1996 Trump bought a property in Westchester County, New York, for $7.5 million but in 2012 his company valued it at $290 million. The organization was able to claim a tax deduction of over $21 million for the property. The value of 40 Wall St. in Manhattan, Trump National Golf Club – Los Angeles and Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago are also being investigated.
Read More: Eric Trump to comply with New York AG’s subpoena only after Election Day
On Wednesday, a judge ordered Trump must testify by October 7.
“The court’s order today makes clear that no one is above the law, not even an organization or an individual with the name Trump,” said Attorney General Letitia James in a prepared statement.
Trump’s attorneys argued that he would testify after the upcoming election but James filed an action with the court last month that he should be forced to testify earlier after already breaking his promise to testify over the summer. James declared Trump should not be allowed to decide when he wants to testify.
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“We simply can’t delay compliance for another two months,” said Matthew Colangelo, an attorney for the AG. “Mr. [Eric] Trump is asking for a further two-month delay … to the middle of November in response to a subpoena that was served in may and where the parties agreed in early June on a date for his attendance.”
“Mr. Trump shouldn’t be able to profit from his own dilatory conduct here” said Judge Arthur Engoron at Wednesday’s hearing. “Mr. Trump now waives any objection to his deposition, but seeks to delay his deposition until after Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020. This court finds that application unpersuasive. Accordingly, this court hereby orders Eric Trump to appear for his deposition no later than Oct. 7, 2020.”
The Trump Organization will also be forced to supply financial records.
James expressed her excitement with the judge’s ruling and stated, “Justice and the rule of law prevailed today.”
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