New York, Washington After the sensational search of his property in Florida, former US President Donald Trump remains in the sights of the judiciary. In New York on Wednesday, Trump said he refused to testify in the course of investigations into his business practices, as he announced on the Truth Social platform he co-founded.
The 76-year-old had previously arrived at the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James by court order for questioning under oath. Democrat James has been leading civil investigations into the Republican’s corporate empire for years. Trump again called this a “witch hunt” on Wednesday.
The appointment came at a sensitive time. On Monday (local time) Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach (Florida) was searched by the FBI federal police – the process is considered unprecedented in US history.
The background was apparently Trump’s handling of documents from his tenure. At the beginning of the year it became known that the national archives responsible for storing presidential correspondence suspected several boxes with confidential material, among other things, in Trump’s private club. Trump finally handed over several documents to the agency in January.
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After that, there was another exchange between investigators and Trump’s lawyers, it said. The officials finally suspected that Trump or his team were still holding back important documents, wrote the Washington Post, citing anonymous sources. The FBI is said to have taken twelve boxes during the search. Trump was not on his property during the action.
Solidarity addresses for Trump
Numerous powerful Republicans rallied behind Trump, who himself described the move as a “coordinated attack” by Democrats. On Tuesday, Trump wrote: “A terrible thing that took place in Mar-a-Lago yesterday. We are no better than a third world country, a banana republic.”
He also accused US President Joe Biden of having been informed about the action in advance. The White House rejected such allegations.
When Trump was questioned in New York on Wednesday, the ex-president was likely to be confronted with unpleasant questions, including suspected false valuations of real estate. Attorney General James says Trump and the Trump Organization used misleading financial reports to gain economic advantage. Trump’s company denies the allegations.
>> Read also: After FBI raid and tax ruling: Ex-President Trump presents himself as a victim
According to a Fox News report, Trump was the last member of the family to be questioned. His children Ivanka and Don Jr. have already testified. After the death of Ivana Trump, the first wife of the former US President, the statements under oath planned by Donald Trump and their two children in July were initially postponed.
Meanwhile, influential Republicans rallied behind Trump after the Mar-a-Lago search: “Our cities are crawling with criminals, but Garland’s politicized Justice Department is targeting President Trump and members of Congress,” said the Republican minority leader in the House of Representatives , Kevin McCarthy, addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The influential Republican Mitch McConnell, whom Trump himself repeatedly denigrated as an “old crow”, demanded that the Justice Department investigate the events immediately. Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley made a similar statement.
Attorney General Merrick Garland is investigating allegations against Trump
Even Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, backed him. “Yesterday’s action undermines public confidence in our legal system,” he said. The appearance of partiality on the part of the Ministry of Justice must be removed.
Pence recently distanced himself from Trump. He is said to have ambitions to run for the presidency in 2024. Trump also keeps flirting with a candidacy, but has not yet officially declared it.
>> Read also: Power at all costs: The impending indictment will only strengthen Trump in his fight
Many Democrats had recently urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to launch an investigation into Trump in the wake of the new findings surrounding the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. Critics accused Garland of being too hesitant.
The search of Trump’s property in the course of the affair about the missing documents was all the more surprising. Recently, however, there were also increasing indications that the Department of Justice was examining Trump’s behavior around January 6 and the 2020 presidential election more closely.
More: Donald Trump’s poisoned legacy – How the ex-president is dividing Republicans