Former President Donald J. Trump invoked the Fifth Amendment when testifying at the New York Attorney General’s Manhattan office Wednesday morning, the former revealed in a statement.
Trump opted to invoke the constitutional right protecting against self-incrimination by declining to answer questions under oath as part of Attorney General Letitia James’ ongoing civil investigation into his business practices.
The Republican’s deposition comes on the heels of the FBI’s August 8 raid at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
The raid was part of a federal investigation into whether Trump took classified documents from the White House, according to the AP.
In addition to New York’s civil probe, Trump faces numerous other legal inquires sparked by conduct during his last days in office.
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NPR reports Trump’s two adult children, Donald Jr. and Ivanka, both testified in recent days.
“I once asked, ‘If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?’ Now I know the answer to that question,” said Trump’s statement on Wednesday, August 10. “When your family, your company, and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded politically motivated Witch Hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors and the Fake News Media, you have no choice.”
James revealed New York’s civil investigation was nearing its conclusion in May.
The three Trumps were initially supposed to testify last month before the July 14 death of the 45th president’s ex-wife Ivana Trump altered plans, according to NPR.
Once the investigation concludes, the attorney general could decide to bring forth a lawsuit and seek financial penalties against either Trump or The Trump Organization.
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