Trump refuses to answer questions under oath in NY case

Former US president Donald Trump invoked the Fifth Amendment and wouldn't answer questions under oath in the New York attorney general's long-running civil investigation into his business dealings, he said in a statement Wednesday. Trump arrived at state Attorney General Letitia James' offices in a motorcade in the morning and  later that he "declined to answer the questions under the rights and privileges afforded to every citizen under the United States Constitution."  "When your family, your company, and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded politically motivated Witch Hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors and the Fake News Media, you have no choice," the statement said. 

Donald Trump was to questioned under oath Wednesday in the New York attorney general’s long-running civil investigation into his business dealings as a flurry of legal activity surrounds the former president.Trump’s testimony comes just days after FBI agents searched his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida as part of an unrelated federal probe into whether he took classified records when he left the White House.The civil investigation, led by state Attorney General Letitia James, involves allegations that Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, misstated the value of prized assets like golf courses and skyscrapers, misleading lenders and tax authorities. The company even exaggerated the size of Trump's Manhattan penthouse, saying it was nearly three times its actual size — a difference in value of about $200 million, James' office said.Trump has denied the allegations, explaining that seeking the best valuations is a common practice in the real estate industry. He says James' investigation is politically motivated and that her office is "doing everything within their corrupt discretion to interfere with my business relationships, and with the political process." He's also accused James, who is Black, of racism in pursuing the investigation. Meanwhile, the Manhattan district attorney's office has long pursued a parallel criminal investigation. No former president has even been charged with a crime.