NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump is being grilled by the New York attorney general’s office Wednesday in its ongoing civil investigation into his real estate business, sources tell the Daily News.
Trump, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. had fought a February order by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron requiring they sit for questioning under oath as part of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ probe of the Trump Organization. An appeals court ruled in May they needed to sit for questioning.
“Seeing racist N.Y.S. Attorney General tomorrow, for a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history!” Trump wrote Tuesday on his Truth Social account. “My great company, and myself, are being attacked from all sides. Banana Republic!”
The former president was seen leaving Trump Tower in Midtown about 8:30 a.m., according to a New York Times’ live blog. He waved to a few onlookers, some chanting loudly “Lock him up!” before getting in a black Suburban.
A half hour later, his motorcade arrived in downtown Manhattan at the Liberty St. office of the New York attorney general. Secret Service agents and NYPD officers were stationed outside the attorney general’s office as Trump’s Suburban rolled into a parking garage.
An email to the attorney general’s office for comment on the deposition was not immediately returned Wednesday.
Trump’s deposition comes two days after the FBI executed a search warrant at the former commander-in-chief’s Palm Beach, Florida, home as part of an investigation into the handling of presidential and classified documents that may have been taken from the White House, according to reports.
Trump, who was in New York when the raid took place, confirmed that FBI agents searched the sprawling beachfront compound and even “broke into my safe.”
James is investigating whether Trump and his kids violated the law through serial manipulation of the values of his properties to obtain loans, tax breaks and other benefits.
Trump and his family have long argued that James’ investigation was an improper fishing expedition and that she was unfairly in cahoots with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is conducting a parallel criminal investigation into the Trump Organization’s business practices.
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