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Former President Donald Trump will have to testify under oath as part of the New York Attorney General’s Office’s investigation of his business practices after a state appellate court ruled against him Thursday.
The ruling 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 had recently ordered that Trump was in contempt for failing to turn over documents.
Trump had argued 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.
“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.
JUDGE SAYS HE’LL LIFT TRUMP CONTEMPT FINDING IF FORMER PRESIDENT MEETS CONDITIONS
The former president can appeal this latest decision to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals.
FILE – In this Dec. 12, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington before boarding Marine One. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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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.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.