Appeals court decides against Trump, ruling he must testify in New York civil investigation
PBS NewsHourNov 28, 2021
Trump Loses Appeal, Must Testify in New York Civil Investigation
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Image copyright: AP [via Fox News]
The Facts
A NY state appellate panel upheld Manhattan Judge Arthur Engoron's Feb. 17 ruling enforcing subpoenas for former Pres. Trump and his two eldest children to give deposition testimony in AG Letitia James's civil probe.
Trump fought the subpoenas, seeking to overturn the ruling on appeal. His lawyers argued that ordering him and his family to testify violated their constitutional rights because their answers could be used in a parallel criminal investigation.
The Spin
Left narrative
The walls are closing in on the former President, and though he and his lawyers have fought tooth and nail against this investigation, James continues to make progress. Trump may soon be held accountable for his shady business practices.
Pro-Trump narrative
The AG is letting her political biases get the best of her. James, a Democrat, is only pursuing the investigation out of political animus. Trump and his family have largely complied with the investigation and have handed over all the relevant documents they could.
Narrative C
Trump is in a tricky situation. He can still appeal to NY's Court of Appeals, although it's not clear whether that court would agree to hear the case. If Trump pleads the 5th amendment under questioning, it could hurt his case, given that it's a civil inquiry. On the other hand, if Trump does answer James' questions, he could possibly incriminate himself in other criminal cases.
