New York (AP) — The Attorney General of New York’s office will summon Donald Trump’s longtime executive aide on Monday to ask her under an oath next week as part of a civil investigation into the former president’s commerce. Stated.
Lorna Graf’s subpoena was disclosed by a lawyer in the office of Attorney General Letitia James in a court document against a recent bid for Trump to drive himself away. Contempt of court Due to the slow response to subpoenas of documents and other evidence.
Graf’s testimony is scheduled for May 31, and special proceedings lawyer Andrew Amer said in court filings.
Mr Amel said James’s office will ask the graph about a variety of issues, including Trump’s involvement in the preparation of the annual financial statements, which is the focus of the Attorney General’s investigation.
Graf left Trump’s company, The Trump Organization, in April 2021 but tried to lift his contempt order and held his record of providing an affidavit to Trump’s lawyer late Friday. I was among the few involved.
Graf, who started working at Trump in 1987, is said to be his gatekeeper and right arm. Michael Cohen, a former Trump private attorney, wrote in his book that she had her own Trump Tower office with a large filing cabinet containing folders on various issues related to Trump. increase.
Mr. Amel only describes the company’s retention and retention practices for some of Trump’s records in James’ affidavit, and lacks details on how his financial statements were treated. So James’s office said he would like to ask Graf under an affidavit.
“Have you reviewed the statement in draft form each year before signing the final edition?” Amer wrote a list of questions left unanswered by Graff’s affidavit. ..
“Did he annotate the draft with comments and questions?” Amel continued. “If so, what happened to those drafts? What was the final version of the statement presented to get Mr. Trump’s approval each year? How did he get his approval? Did you clarify? I won’t say Mr. Graf’s affidavit. “
The message asking for comment was left to the lawyer who represented Graph on past legal issues.
Democrat James said a three-year study revealed evidence that the Trump Organization has misunderstood the value of assets such as skyscrapers and golf courses in its financial statements for more than a decade.
Republican Trump, I deny the claim. He called James’s investigation a “racist” and a politically motivated “witch hunt.” James is a black man. Trump’s lawyer accused her of her selective prosecution.
Trump’s lawyer argues that James could use her civil investigation to access the information, which could be used against him in a criminal investigation conducted by the Democratic Party, a Manhattan district attorney. ing.
Trump has also sued James in federal court and is about to suspend her investigation.
Judge Arthur Engoron declared insulting Trump on April 25 and fined $ 10,000 per day for not submitting a summons by the March 31 deadline.
Engoron said he would cancel the order if Trump met certain conditions by Friday.
Trump meets most conditions, including paying a $ 110,000 fine and submitting an affidavit detailing his efforts to retrieve subpoena records.
Amel acknowledged that Trump and his lawyer made progress by meeting Engoron’s requirements, but said the insult order should remain valid until Graph’s testimony.
Engoron has not yet ruled.
Meanwhile, Mr. Amel said Mr. Trump’s lawyer could take other steps to shed light on his record-keeping practices. He proposes that they provide a detailed affidavit from another Trump executive and an affidavit detailing their efforts to contact each of Trump’s 12 former executive assistants. bottom.
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