JAKARTA - The New York attorney general on Thursday asked a state judge to detain Donald Trump, in contempt of court for not submitting documents he requested for a civil investigation, against the former United States president's business practices.
In court filings, Attorney General Letitia James said Trump failed to honor the court's order that he complied "in full" with his subpoena for documents and information on March 31.
Attorney General James asked that Trump be fined $10.000 a day, and possibly more, until he complies with a court order.
"The judge's order was very clear: Donald J. Trump must comply with our subpoena and submit the relevant documents to my office," James said in a statement.
"Instead of obeying a court order, Mr Trump is trying to avoid it," he said.
Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, calling the investigation a "witch hunt."
"We stand ready to resolutely oppose the frivolous and baseless motions filed by the attorney general's office," Trump attorney Alina Habba said in an emailed statement.
"Our clients have consistently met the many discovery requests served by the attorney general's office over the years."
James' three-year investigation and a parallel criminal investigation led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, have focused on whether the Trump Organization misstated the value of its real estate properties, in order to obtain favorable loans and tax deductions.
Last week, James said his investigation had uncovered "significant evidence" showing that for more than a decade the company's financial statements had "relyed on misleading asset valuations and other misrepresentations to secure economic benefits."
James questioned how the Trump Organization values the "Trump brand," as well as properties including golf clubs in New York and Scotland, as well as Trump's own penthouse apartment in Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan.
On February 17, Judge Arthur Engoron of New York State Court in Manhattan, ordered Trump to produce documents received by subpoena by March 3, and for Trump and his adult children Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump, to be interrogated under oath.
Trump then obtained an extension until March 31 to produce the document. She and her children asked the state appeals court to overturn a ruling that required their testimony.
In a March 31 filing, other attorneys for Trump objected that the subpoenas were 'grossly redundant' and unduly burdensome, seeking attorney-client protected or executive privilege information.
But James said Thursday Engoron's order was not an "opening offer" that gave Trump the right to renegotiate the subpoena.
"The ship has long sailed with Mr Trump's ability to raise such objections," he wrote.
James said given Trump's "claimed careful involvement" in his company, it "seems incredible now that there are almost no documents" showing he had a personal role in reviewing asset valuations.
And while James had received Trump's personal tax returns from 2011 to 2018, he said Trump had blocked the provision of other materials, including documents or notes in his own handwriting.
In February, Trump's longtime accounting firm, Mazars USA, severed ties with him and the Trump Organization, saying they could no longer stand behind a decade of financial reporting.
The Trump family has called James' investigation a "politically motivated move started in bad faith," and intends to advance his career at their expense.
James, a Democrat, is seeking re-election in November. Trump, a Republican, could seek a second White House term in 2024.
The status of Bragg's criminal investigation is uncertain, following the resignations in February of the two senior prosecutors who led it.
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According to the New York Times, Bragg, who took office in January and inherited the criminal investigation from fellow Democrat Cyrus Vance Jr, has expressed doubts about Trump's allegations.
In a statement on Thursday, Bragg said his office's investigation was continuing and defended his handling of it.
"Prosecutors who carry out their duties cannot and do not only bring 'slam dunks' cases," he said.
"I promise that the office will publicly state the conclusions of our investigation, whether we complete our work without filing charges, or proceed with indictments."
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