Judge Arthur Engoron has refused a recent request to halt the subpoena compelling her testimony, but he’s allowed some time for an appeal, postponing her appearance until after November 1st.
This development follows a prior legal showdown between Donald Trump’s legal team and New York Attorney General Letitia James (D-N.Y.), who had issued the subpoena to Ivanka. Trump’s attorneys cited a prior appeals court ruling earlier this year, which had cleared her from being a defendant in the case due to statute of limitations issues.
The former president’s legal representatives contended that James was persistently attempting to burden Ivanka Trump with unwarranted legal actions long after the appeals court had mandated her dismissal from the case.
In response, the Attorney General’s office argued that Ivanka still possesses valuable information relevant to their ongoing case.
“While she is no longer a defendant in this lawsuit, there is no denying that she possesses firsthand knowledge of facts pertinent to the claims against the remaining individuals and entities involved in the case. Furthermore, Ms. Trump maintains significant financial and professional ties with the Trump Organization and other parties involved, making her a person still within their sphere of influence,” stated the AG in a court filing.
Moreover, the Attorney General’s office expressed their intention to question her regarding the Trump Organization’s former Washington, D.C. hotel, suggesting that she may have profited from its sale.
“Ms. Trump’s continued financial and professional connections with the Trump Organization are undeniable. These ties include her involvement in the proceeds from the OPO (hotel) sale, the Trump Organization’s provision of insurance for her and her companies, management of her household staff and financial matters, rental arrangements for her apartment, and even the payment of her legal fees for this lawsuit. Strangely, her disavowal of these connections only seems to emerge when she’s asked to account for them,” the AG argued.
Letitia James is pursuing a lawsuit against the former president, alleging that he inflated his assets in financial statements to secure more favorable loans and insurance policies.
Throughout this legal ordeal, Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing, characterizing the proceedings as nothing more than a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
