Trump’s lawsuit against Letitia James dismissed

In the latest legal blow to Donald J. Trump, a federal judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the former president seeking to block the New York attorney general’s civil investigation into alleged crimes. his business.

The ruling, in federal court in Albany, is Mr. Trump’s second failure related to the investigation in two days. On Thursday, an appeals court ordered Mr. Trump and his two children to sit for questioning under oath from the office of the state attorney general, Letitia James.

Together, the rulings will clear the way for Ms James to complete her investigation in the coming weeks or months. While Ms. James, a Democrat who wants to run for re-election, does not have the power to prosecute Mr. Trump or his family’s real estate business, she can file a lawsuit if she concludes that they engaged in fraud. .

Last month, one of her attorneys said a lawsuit could be coming soon, saying the office was preparing a “coercive action” in the near future.

It is not clear if Mr. Trump plans to appeal either ruling. His attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“The courts have made clear that Donald J. Trump’s unfounded legal challenges cannot prevent our lawful investigation of his financial dealings and the Trump Organization,” said Ms. James. said in a statement. “No one in this country can choose and choose how the law applies to them, and Donald Trump is no exception. As we have all said, we will continue this investigation undaunted. “

Trump’s lawyers filed a federal lawsuit in DecemberAlleged that Ms. James’s public criticism of Mr. Trump, and the subpoenas she issued to him and his company, violated several of his constitutional rights, including the freedom to speech and proceedings.

In Friday’s ruling, federal judge Brenda K. Sannes dismissed Mr. Trump’s claim that Ms. James’ investigation was politically motivated and that she violated his rights.

Mr. Trump’s lawsuit cites numerous public statements by Ms. James critical of Mr. Trump, including a 2017 tweet claiming that she “leads the resistance against Donald Trump in NYC.”

While Ms James’s public statements may reflect political or personal animosity towards Mr Trump, the judge said her comments were not sufficient to prove that the attorney general had violated Mr. violate Trump’s rights.

Judge Sannes also found “no evidence that the subpoena proceedings were conducted in a manner constituting harassment.”

Mr Trump has denied all wrongdoing and has criticized Ms James, calling her investigation “a witch hunt”.

Her investigation focused on his annual financial statements, which contained estimated values ​​of his golf courses, hotels and other properties. Ms. James is scrutinizing whether Mr. Trump and his company falsely – and fraudulently – inflated those values ​​to secure loans and other financial interests.

In a court filing this year, Ms. James revealed that Trump’s longtime accounting firm has severed ties with him and essentially withdrew nearly a decade’s worth of financial statements.

She also argued, in a separate filing, that the Trump Organization engaged in “fraudulent or misleading” activities. But her attorneys say they need to gather more records and testimony, particularly from Mr. Trump, before they can decide whether to file a lawsuit.

Last month, a state judge in Manhattan, Arthur F. Engoron, keep Mr. Trump in contempt in court for failing to fully comply with Miss James’ subpoena to search his personal records. (Recent judge issue a disdain orderafter Mr. Trump paid a $110,000 fine and submitted additional documents.)

Justice Engoron also ordered Mr. Trump – as well as his two children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump – went to Ms. James’s office to be sworn in for an interview. In Thursday’s ruling, a New York State appeals court upheld that order.

As Ms. James continues the civil investigation, Mr. Trump also faces a criminal investigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s office into several similar business practices that Ms. James is looking into.

But while the criminal investigation is continuing, prosecutors stopped presenting evidence on Mr. Trump to a grand jury earlier this year.