New York judge threatens to hold Trump in contempt of court

A New York judge has expressed surprise that Donald Trump is unable to provide any documents sought in a probe of the Trump Organization and threatened to hold the former US president in contempt of court and fined him $10,000 a day.

Justice Arthur Engoron in New York state court in Manhattan said on Friday at a virtual hearing that he would go on holding Trump, a man he described as perhaps the world's most famous real estate developer, in contempt of court and fine him despite a request from Trump's lawyer to lift both orders, Reuters reported.

"He's Donald Trump, the most famous real estate developer in the world, arguably," the judge said. "I am surprised he doesn't seem to have any documents; they're all with the organization."

Engoron on Monday issued the orders over Trump's failure to comply with New York Attorney General Letitia James' subpoena for documents.

The judge ruled that if Trump did not comply with a court order deadline to respond to a subpoena issued by the New York attorney general’s office he would be fined.

“Mr. Trump … I know you take your business seriously, and I take mine seriously. I hereby hold you in civil contempt,” Engoron said after the ruling was issued referring to Trump’s “repeated failures” to turn over material sought by investigators.

On Wednesday, Trump signed an affidavit saying he did not believe he had any relevant documents and, if there were any documents, the Trump Organization would have them.

On Friday, Engoron said the document bore "his inimitable signature" in what appeared to be a Sharpie, and added that it lacked useful detail about where the former president kept his records.

Trump needed to submit an affidavit swearing to purge the contempt finding to where his files were located, how they were stored, and who had access to them. Trump also should state whether he turned over his personal electronic devices for searching and imaging, the judge said later in a written order.

As part of the attorney general's probe that Trump used post-it notes to communicate with employees, Trump Organization general counsel Alan Garten testified, according to court records.

But Trump lawyer Alina Habba said Trump does not have any post-its.

"You can fine us for 10 months but you're not going to get any more documents from Donald Trump," Habba said. "He doesn't have the documents that you want."

Trump may not have to pay the fine until the appeal is heard, according to CNN.

New York’s attorney general James has subpoenaed documents from the Trump Organization over its property appraisals.

Earlier this month, James announced that they were taking legal action to force Cushman & Wakefield to comply with their investigation into Trump and the Trump Organization's financial dealings.

Cushman & Wakefield has provided real estate services for the Trump Organization, which makes it a vital cog in the ongoing probe.

Trump lambasts NY criminal probe as part of ‘greatest witch hunt’ in US history

Former US President Trump has harshly criticized the criminal probe into the Trump Organization, describing as a "continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in American History."

The investigation into the Trump Organization was launched after congressional testimony by his former personal attorney Michael Cohen, who turned on his former boss after pleading guilty in 2018 to various fraud and campaign finance charges.

Trump, however, has slammed the state and local prosecutors in New York over their bid to launch a criminal probe into his company, describing it as a "continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in American History."

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