Ducking AG costs Trump
A New York judge on Monday held Donald Trump in contempt — and fined him $10,000 a day — for failing to comply with a subpoena for documents in Attorney General Letitia James’ probe of his company’s business dealings.
“Mr. Trump, I know you take your business seriously, and I take mine seriously, I hereby hold you in civil contempt and fine you $10,000 a day,” said Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron before striking the gavel.
James asked for the civil contempt order earlier this month, arguing the former president failed to meet a court-ordered March 31 deadline to turn over materials as part of her office’s investigation into the Trump Organization.
Defense lawyers for Trump, who weren’t at Monday’s hearing, claimed he didn’t have any of the documents requested in the AG’s probe.
Trump lawyer Alina Habba maintained her client was in the clear because any documents he might have were already being turned over to the AG’s office through the Trump Organization.
But Engoron pressed Habba on why Trump hadn’t submitted a sworn affidavit attesting to that fact, and asked, “How do you know he will swear to that?”
“Because my client is an honest person, much to the dismay of some of the people in this room,” Habba replied. “We have nothing to hide.”
Habba also called the AG’s probe a “political crusade,” and outside court, said they planned to appeal.