Trump Just Sued New York's Attorney General

He says Letitia James' investigation of him is politically biased
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 9, 2021 10:30 AM CST
Updated Dec 20, 2021 10:25 AM CST
Trump May Have to Testify in New York Investigation
Former President Trump speaks during a rally in Perry, Ga., on Sept. 25, 2021.   (AP Photo/Ben Gray, File)

Update: Donald Trump is suing the attorney general of New York over her investigation of his business empire, reports the New York Times. The former president says the inquiry by Letitia James violates his constitutional rights because it's politically motivated. "Her mission is guided solely by political animus and a desire to harass, intimidate, and retaliate against a private citizen who she views as a political opponent," says the lawsuit filed in federal court. James' civil investigation is separate from a criminal investigation underway by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. Our original story from Dec. 9 follows:

New York state is investigating the Trump family business, and now the former president himself may have to answer questions in person. State Attorney General Letitia James wants Donald Trump to sit for a deposition on Jan. 7, reports the Washington Post. No word yet on whether Trump will fight the move. The Post notes that son Eric sat for questioning last year as part of the investigation into the Trump Organization, despite initially refusing. And the former president sat for a deposition earlier this year in an unrelated matter, a lawsuit brought by protesters who say Trump's security guards assaulted them in 2015.

James is looking into a wide range of alleged improprieties, including whether the Trump Organization presented wildly different valuations of property it owned depending on whether a low price or a high price suited its purpose. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has a separate investigation underway into the Trump Organization that's looking at the same issue, notes the New York Times. That inquiry is now in a "critical phase," per the Times, because DA Cyrus Vance is retiring at the end of the year. Donald Trump has used the phrase "witch hunt" to describe both investigations. (On Thursday, Democrat James ended her run for governor.)

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