New York Attorney General Reportedly Seeking to Depose Trump in Coming Weeks

New York Attorney General Letitia James has reportedly been seeking to depose former President Donald Trump at her office on Jan. 7.

The deposition would be “part of a civil investigation into whether Trump’s company committed financial fraud in the valuations of properties to different entities,” reported The Washington Post, which cited “people familiar with the matter.”

In a statement to the outlet, the Trump Organization slammed James.

“This is another political witch-hunt,” said the organization. “The only focus of the New York AG is to investigate Trump, all for her own political ambitions … This political prosecution is illegal, unethical and is a travesty to our great state and legal system.”

James announced in October a run next year for New York governor. She suspended her campaign on Thursday.

The civil probe of the Trump Organization is separate from the criminal probe, which has seen the organization’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg charged in June with 15 counts of tax evasion.

A spokesperson for James declined to comment to the Post.

According to the Post:

James has said she is considering filing a lawsuit over the matter, and Manhattan prosecutors have convened a new grand jury to consider potential criminal charges related to the company’s financial practices, according to the people familiar with the investigations.

Trump has not been personally accused of wrongdoing. He has previously attacked James and her probe into his businesses as a “witch hunt” being driven by a prominent New York Democrat who has promised to use her perch to investigate him and his company.

Privately, the former president has regularly expressed frustration about the investigation, according to people close to him.

If Trump refuses to appear for the deposition, James and her office could take him to court and try to force him to comply.