Trump must testify under oath in New York investigation – Court rules

The New York appellate court has ruled against former US president, Donald Trump saying he will have to testify under oath as part of the New York Attorney General’s Office’s investigation of his business practices in the state.

The investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James has been exploring records belonging to Trump and the Trump Organization, and has focused on suspicion that the former president provided a false valuation of his assets in order to secure more favorable positions regarding loans and taxes.

Trump refused to provide documents and was then taken to court by the NY attorney general’s office.

He was found guilty of being in contempt of court and ordered to pay $10,000 per day for every day he refuses to submit a deposition. He appealed the court ruling arguing that they could not be forced to testify because their responses could be used against them in a criminal probe and that violated his constitutional rights. His appeal has now been lost.

The ruling on Thursday, May 26, by a panel of four judges upheld a decision by New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron, who said in February that Trump and two of his children had to comply with subpoenas calling for them to sit for depositions. Engoron also ordered that Trump was in contempt for failing to turn over company documents.

“The existence of a criminal investigation does not preclude civil discovery of related facts, at which a party may exercise the privilege against self-incrimination,” Thursday’s ruling from the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division said.

The former president can appeal this latest decision to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals.