Report: N.Y. Attorney General Refuses Trump Settlement Offer New York Attorney General Letitia James (AP)
By Charlie McCarthy | Thursday, 15 September 2022 10:54 AM EDT
New York Attorney General Letitia James has vowed to pursue her case against former President Donald Trump and his family real estate business after refusing a settlement offer, the New York Times reported.
James, a Democrat running for reelection in November, also is considering suing at least one of Trump's adult children — Ivanka, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., the Times reported Thursday.
Each of the Trump children has been a senior executive at the Trump Organization.
The Times said the AG's office this month rejected at least one settlement offer from Donald Trump's attorneys — increasing the likelihood of a lawsuit.
The newspaper added that the two sides still could reach a deal, though there was no indication a settlement would happen soon.
James, as part of her lawsuit, could seek to curtail Trump's Manhattan real estate portfolio, though the AG has given mixed signals about what sort of punishment she will seek to impose.
Trump early last month said he refused to answer questions during an appearance before the AG in her civil investigation into his family's business practices, citing his constitutional right against self-incrimination.
Eric Trump, who ran the company when Trump was president, also invoked his Fifth Amendment rights more than 500 times in a 2020 deposition with James' office. The Times added that Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. responded to questions during their interviews.
The newspaper said that in civil cases, refusing to answer questions can, in some instances, be held against defendants at trial.
James has said her investigation has uncovered significant evidence that the Trump Organization, which manages hotels, golf courses, and other real estate, gave banks and tax authorities misleading financial information to obtain benefits.
Trump has denied all wrongdoing, and has called the investigation a politically motivated witch hunt by "racist political hacks."
James' investigation continues while the Department of Justice probes Trump for allegedly mishandling classified documents.
FBI agents raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on Aug. 8, and the DOJ said agents removed 11 sets of classified documents including some marked as top secret. Trump and allies insist the documents had been declassified.
In a case unrelated to James' investigation, the Trump Organization is set to go on trial in Manhattan next month for criminal tax charges.
Former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg's plea agreement reportedly included that he will testify in a potential trial but did not sign on as a cooperator in James' investigation of the company's finances.