A New York judge on April 25 found former President Donald Trump in civil contempt for not proving he responded to a subpoena issued by the state’s attorney general.
New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump to pay a fine of $10,000 per day.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat whose office is probing the Trump Organization, asked for the ruling, alleging Trump failed to comply with a subpoena issued in late 2021 and an order from Engoron earlier this year that found the subpoena valid and enforceable.
Trump’s lawyers said that after a “diligent search,” they determined Trump did not possess any documents responsive to the subpoena. Potentially responsive materials, they said, were in the custody of the Trump Organization.
But Engoron said Trump and his lawyers hadn’t shown that they had conducted a proper search for the records sought by the subpoena.
“Today, justice prevailed,” James said in a statement after the ruling. “For years, Donald Trump has tried to evade the law and stop our lawful investigation into him and his company’s financial dealings. Today’s ruling makes clear: No one is above the law.”
Habbas told The Epoch Times in an email: “We respectfully disagree with the court’s decision. All documents responsive to the subpoena were produced to the attorney general months ago. The only issue raised by the attorney general at today’s hearing was with an affidavit submitted which copied the form mandated by the attorney general. This does not even come close to meeting the standard on a motion for contempt and, thus, we intend to appeal.”
Trump has said James, who ran for office vowing to investigate the Republican if she won, is selectively prosecuting him and his family.
