Michael R. by Sisak | The Associated Press
NEW YORK — A New York judge said Wednesday he is close to releasing Donald Trump from a contempt search, but only if the former president meets certain conditions, including allowing documents in the state’s civil investigation. Failure to turn in includes paying $110,000 in accrued fines.
Judge Arthur Angoron said he will conditionally remove Trump’s contempt search if, by May 20, Trump submits additional affidavits detailing efforts to search the records and his and his company’s document retention. Explains the policies, a company he hired to assist with the search and he gets his job done. pays the fine.
Angoron ruled Trump in contempt on April 25 and fined him $10,000 per day for not complying with a subpoena for documents in the investigation of New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is investigating whether Has Trump misjudged the value of assets like skyscrapers and golf courses. Financial statements for more than a decade.
Total Angoron earned the order to pay Trump through May 6, when Trump’s lawyers submitted 66 pages of court documents detailing efforts to locate the summons record. Angoron could reinstate the fine if the conditions set out on Wednesday are not met.
A message seeking comment was left with Trump’s lawyer.
James, a Democrat, asked Angoron to hold Trump in contempt after he failed to produce any documents to meet the March 31 deadline for fulfilling the terms of the subpoena.
Trump attorney Alina Habba said in a May 6 filing that the responses to the summons were complete and accurate and that no relevant documents or information were withheld.
According to the filing, Habba searched his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, and Trump’s offices and private quarters in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, but found no relevant documents that weren’t already there. Produced. The filing detailed a search of the Trump Organization’s offices in New York, including file cabinets and storage areas, among other locations.
In a separate affidavit included with the filing, Trump said there is no relevant document that hasn’t already been submitted.
He said he has two cellphones: an iPhone for personal use that he presented in March, which was discovered as part of the summons, then rescinded in May; As well as a second phone that was given to him recently which was only used for posting on Truth Social, the social media network he started after being banned from Twitter, Facebook and other platforms.
Also on Wednesday, a state appellate court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in Trump’s appeal in another summons case: Angoron’s February 17 decision requires him to answer questions under oath in the James investigation.
