Ex-Trump law firm ordered to release records in NY probe
A law firm that recently cut ties with Donald Trump’s real estate company was ordered to hand over communications to New York investigators looking into whether the former president’s business manipulated the value of assets for loans and tax breaks.
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP wrongly asserted attorney-client privilege over some documents subpoenaed by New York Attorney General Letitia James and must hand them over by Feb. 4, state Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron ruled Friday after privately reviewing the disputed documents.
“The court finds that many of the communications Morgan Lewis marked as privileged were communications addressing business tasks and decisions, not exchanges soliciting or rendering legal advice,” Engoron said in the ruling. “Similarly, any communications within Morgan Lewis speaking to public relations are of a business, not legal, nature.”
The lawyer representing Morgan Lewis in New York’s legal action, Timothy Stephens, and spokeswoman Emily Carhart didn’t immediately respond to emails and voice mails seeking comment on the ruling.
The ruling is the latest setback for the Trump Organization since James took legal action in August to enforce about half a dozen subpoenas, including one issued to former Trump tax attorney Sheri Dillon of Morgan Lewis. The investigation has emerged as one of the biggest potential threats to Trump after he left office following a failed bid for a second term.
Coachella and Stagecoach festivals canceled, again
LOS ANGELES — To the surprise of absolutely no one who’s been paying attention to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival and Stagecoach festival, scheduled for three consecutive weekends in April at Indio’s Empire Polo Club, have been canceled.
According to an announcement by the Riverside County Public Health Officer posted Friday afternoon, the events were shuttered “based on concerns of a fall resurgence” of COVID-19.
Coachella and its country music cousin Stagecoach were both originally scheduled for April 2020, and were among the first festivals canceled during the initial throes of the coronavirus pandemic. They were then rescheduled for October, and then rescheduled again for April 2021.
Travis Scott, Frank Ocean and Rage Against the Machine were the scheduled Coachella headliners.