New York Attorney General Tish James detailed evidence that the Trump Organization had used “fraudulent or misleading asset valuations” to obtain favorable loans and other economic benefits.
Julia Nikhinson/AP Photo
A crush of media followed the former president from his midtown apartment at Trump Tower to the Attorney General’s downtown office around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. Trump waved at onlookers and members of the media and held a fist in the air as he departed for the deposition. He arrived at James’ office, located at 28 Liberty St. in the Financial District, around 9 a.m.
Secret service officials and NYPD officers patrolled the garage entrance where Trump’s motorcade entered and stood guard throughout the morning, as passersby gathered on sidewalks and street corners surrounding the entrance to the skyscraper.
Even though Trump said he would invoke his right against self-incrimination, he remained holed up in the attorney general’s office for several hours, eventually leaving via motorcade around 3:20 p.m.
Trump’s decision to not answer questions may complicate the Attorney General’s efforts to connect Trump to the alleged wrongdoing.
“Whether or not he himself is directly connected to the statements that they claim are false or misrepresented in the tax filings and other things is a question that they may not be able to solve without his testimony,” Schiller said. “Absent them having documentary evidence or testimony by others that say, ‘Well, he told me to do this or it was his instructions,’ then maybe she won’t be able to build a case that specifically implicates him.”
Indeed, James’ office wrote in a court filing earlier this year that “Mr. Trump’s actual knowledge of—and intention to make—the numerous misstatements and omissions made by him or on his behalf are essential components to resolving OAG’s investigation in an appropriate and just manner.”
She detailed evidence that the Trump Organization had used “fraudulent or misleading asset valuations” to obtain favorable loans and other economic benefits. These misrepresentations were all in Trump’s annual statements of financial condition, snapshots of his assets and net worth that were submitted to banks and insurers, according to James.
The case could come down to the question of: “Can you prove that he committed the violation by just signing the document, if you can’t prove that he had knowledge of the falsity? I think there’s an issue that has to be litigated there,” Schiller said.
For now, it at least prevents Trump from giving James more ammunition.
“It would have been much better for the investigation if he had been willing to answer questions. He talks too much and gets himself into trouble,” Bonventre said. “Almost certainly he would have added to the evidence against him. I can’t imagine that his lawyers would want him to answer questions. They know what he’s like. The best bet would be to tell him to shut up.”
James bowed out of the governor’s race last year to seek reelection for AG. From a political standpoint, she can continue to show she is focused on Trump’s alleged misdeeds as she seeks a second term in November, one political analyst said — even as Trump looks to demonize her among his supporters.
“Donald Trump has never been popular in New York. Not before he was president, not during his presidency and not post presidency,” said Steven Greenberg, a longtime Democratic strategist and poll spokesman for the Siena College Research Institute. “So this can only be a political benefit for James. It can’t be a political hit for her — certainly not with her base.”
Joseph Spector contributed to this report.