Trump to face sworn deposition in New York lawsuit as legal troubles mount

theguardian.com:

The New York attorney general’s office is expected to begin questioning Donald Trump and two of his children over allegations of financial fraud today after the former president failed in his legal bid to block what he has called a politically motivated “witch hunt”.

Trump and his two eldest children, Ivanka and Donald Jr, were summoned to give sworn depositions after state attorney general, Letitia James, said a three-year civil investigation uncovered evidence that the Trump Organization routinely inflated the value of properties, including office blocks, apartment buildings and golf courses, in order to obtain loans at favorable rates and to claim tax breaks.

The AG’s office alleges that the former president’s Trump Tower apartment block was recorded as being three times as large as it really was as part of the fraud.

The process of taking depositions at the state supreme court in Manhattan is expected to continue into next week. It is not immediately clear on which day the former president will be questioned but Trump’s lawyer has indicated that he will invoke his constitutional right against self-incrimination and refuse to answer questions.

The case adds to a string of legal troubles for Trump, including the possibility of criminal charges for tax evasion. The Trump Organization and its longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, are expected to go on trial later this year on charges of tax fraud following a parallel investigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

In addition, the House committee investigating the January 6 storming of the Capitol has said there is sufficient evidence to conclude that the former president and some of his allies committed crimes in his attempts to overturn the 2020