By January, Donald Trump is set to be facing several investigations and probes, the biggest one of all surrounding his finances. A New York judge has now ruled against the Trump Organization’s claim of privilege in an investigation launched by the state attorney general.
New York attorney general Letitia James launched an investigation involving the Trump Organization’s declared value of the Seven Springs Estate in Westchester. The issue at hand is with the legitimacy of the property’s conservation, and the courts gave the Trump Organization until Friday to provide documents from the engineer of the estate. The Trump Organization claimed that the engineer’s documents were privileged as it helped lawyers value the property. However, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled against the claims, saying that none of the documents met the standards of confidentiality.
Trump’s son and Trump Organization executive Eric Trump, had previously been deposed as part of the investigation. Seven Springs is one of the four Trump properties that claimed New York state tax deductions. With Engoron’s ruling, the company must provide all the necessary documents by Friday, December 18.
“There is no accountant-client privilege and there is no engineer-developer privilege,” said Eric Haren of the attorney general’s office. The investigation launched by James into the Trump Organization stems from the congressional testimony provided by Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen. Cohen said that Trump would inflate his total assets when he wanted certain things, such as being included in the Forbes’ wealthiest lists and also deflate the assets for tax deductions.
As the vaccinations for COVID-19 are already starting to be rolled out towards the public, especially those who are most in need, Trump will be receiving the vaccine at a later time. A White House official revealed that Trump is still receiving the benefits of the drug cocktail administered to him when he contracted COVID-19 back in October. Vice president Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence will be vaccinated on Friday as they have not contracted the virus.
Trump previously reversed his plan to let White House officials be among the first to get vaccinated. Healthcare workers and those in long-term care facilities will be receiving the first vaccinations.