Posted on 08/10/2022 7:37:09 AM PDT by Red Badger
Former President Trump said Wednesday that he refused to answer any questions from New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) in the civil investigation over his business.
Why it matters: The deposition comes as Trump has faced a new level of legal scrutiny and just days after the FBI executed a search warrant at the former president's Mar-a-Lago residence in an unrelated investigation.
What he's saying: "Under the advice of my counsel, ... I declined to answer the questions under the rights and privileges afforded to every citizen under the United States Constitution," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social account.
"I once asked, 'if you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?" Now I know the answer to that question," he also said. "When your family, your company and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded, politically motivated Witch Hunt ... you have no choice." Driving the news: Trump earlier on Wednesday said that he would face questioning Wednesday from the New York state attorney general's office in its civil investigation.
Trump said on his Truth Social account earlier on Wednesday that he would be seeing James "for a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history! My great company, and myself, are being attacked from all sides. Banana Republic!"
State of play: James opened a civil investigation into the Trump organization's financial dealings earlier this year, alleging the company used "fraudulent and misleading asset valuations to obtain economic benefits."
Trump and two of his adult children, Donald Jr. and Ivanka, were scheduled to testify last month, but the office of New York's attorney general postponed the depositions after the death of Ivana Trump.
Trump has denied the allegations, saying that seeking the best valuations is a common practice in the real estate industry, AP reports.
The big picture: Wednesday's deposition comes as Trump is in the middle of numerous other legal battles, including the Justice Department's investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
The FBI investigation on Monday is likely related to documents Trump took from the White House that may have been classified, two sources familiar with the matter told Axios' Jonathan Swan. Go deeper... Judge lifts Trump's contempt order in New York civil investigation
Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details.
More commentary here:
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4084550/posts
Thanks for the copy of the statement. 😎✌
Why scum like her is allowed to keep her office is beyond sanity.
Bizzaro world. And people keep (s)electing them.....🐎💩
I’d more than fifth amendment. I’d so some serious “can’t recall”.
Q: Is this the part in the story when we play the tapes of the former President repeatedly saying in speech and in interviews that only people who plead the Fifth Amendment are guilty and are simply hiding the truth? He said it over and over and over for the last number of years and that cannot now be stricken from the record. This isn’t George Orwell and we aren’t suddenly saying he never said it… (But I’d love to hear of the justifications way this is now okay)
Awesome letter!
Good for him. He should not utter a sound. They will construe it as Lying to the Federal Government and prosecute as such.
Thanks for the copy. He should have just said “I don’t recall” or better yet…something akin to “What difference does it make?”
I’m glad he did this. It’s time to stop being on the defense.
WOAH 👇🏼👇🏼 Trump house raid ,check this out !!! pic.twitter.com/NsHAqnnYAh— Warrior (@FishingOnFaith4) August 10, 2022
GO TRUMP!
And re: Hillary:
LOCK HER UP
LOCK HER UP
LOCK HER UP
When you ‘take the 5th’, you can’t even answer the question “What is your name?”. You cannot say anything other than “Upon the advice of my attorney................ ...................
Deposition is another word for perjury trap. The rats/msm have their talking point. Trump took the 5th bla bla f-em.
The IRS agents who targeted Patriots and Patriots movements all pleaded the 5th.
Then they got their pensions and the Democrats all thought it was great. I wonder what the Democrats and media will say now.....
Perfect answer. Recall Ms. James election and campaign statements demonstrating an intent to abuse her position to harass President Trump. Disturbing to see her campaign and later as AG act on a personal vendetta. She should be impeached, disbarred and subject to civil action by President Trump.
Her job isn’t lawfare. This isn’t how a lawful and civil society acts. This is low class, low IQ, hoodrat street thuggery.
FBI TOOK his personal phone day after raid just in time for today’s hearing. Not a coincidence.
I don’t understand how it is legal for FBI AGENTS to deny witnesses, lawyers not to witness what they are doing, taking and searching.
Taking the fifth in a civil case can be used against you. But in this case, since the FBI showed their hand that they are pursuing a criminal case, Trump should be able to use that as a mitigating factor, since anything he said in the civil case would be used against him in the criminal case.
“Q: Is this the part in the story when we play the tapes of the former President repeatedly saying in speech and in interviews that only people who plead the Fifth Amendment are guilty and are simply hiding the truth?”
A: He was utterly wrong then. He probably had some antiquated view of how our institutions work and who runs them. Many such cases. Very sad.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.