Donald Trump Refuses to Answer Questions From New York Attorney General, Invokes Fifth Amendment Rights

Former President Donald Trump is currently under civil investigation by the New York attorney general over the Trump Organization misleading lenders, insurers, and tax authorities with misleading financial statements.

Trump sat down with attorneys from the New York Attorney General's Office for a deposition on Wednesday. However, he declined to answer every question and invoked his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

In a statement, the former president said he invoked the Fifth Amendment under the advice of his legal counsel. Trump called the investigation by New York Attorney General Leticia James into the Trump Organization the "greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history."

CNN reported that the deposition came during a very challenging week for Donald Trump. It included the FBI search in Trump's Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, and a federal appeals court denying his efforts to block a House committee from obtaining his tax returns.

Donald Trump Took the Fifth in All Questions Except One

According to the BBC, the office of the New York Attorney General confirmed that the former president invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

However, New York Attorney General Leticia James, the first black woman to ever hold the office, vowed to"pursue the facts and the law wherever they may lead."

One of Donald Trump's attorneys, Ronald Fischetti, said his client had the "same answer" to every question he was asked, and that was pleading with the Fifth Amendment.

He did answer one question, and that was when he was asked for his name. Trump then read a statement into the record, questioning James' motives, before taking the Fifth in all other questions.

Legal experts noted that it was risky for Trump to answer questions, as his statements could be used against him in another criminal investigation. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is running a parallel criminal investigation against the former president and the Trump Organization.

In previous statements, like the one he made during a campaign stop in Iowa in 2016, Trump famously said, "If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?"

However, in his statement on Wednesday, Donald Trump admitted that he now knows the answer to that question. Trump also called James an "out-of-control prosecutor" and a racist.

Her investigation has reportedly uncovered "significant" evidence against the Trump organization. Court filings by her office alleged that Trump's company misled lenders and tax authorities about the value of his assets.

That included the company exaggerating the size of Trump's Manhattan penthouse. They claimed it was nearly three times its actual size, adding around $200 million in value.

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Donald Trump Deposition Was Among 'Few Missing Pieces' for Leticia James' Investigation

Last May, Leticia James' office said it was nearing the end of its investigation into the Trump Organization. Her office claimed that the former president's deposition was one of the "few remaining missing pieces."

Donald Trump's two adult children, Donald Jr. and Ivanka, also gave depositions recently, according to the Associated Press. It is still unclear whether they also pleaded the Fifth.

However, their younger brother, Eric Trump, did invoke his Fifth Amendment rights over 500 times during a deposition in 2020.

Donald Trump's legal team tried to block James' attempt to question the former president for months. However, Manhattan Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that her office had the "clear right" to question him.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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