A Latest York appeals court panel on Tuesday upheld a $110,000 effective on former President Donald Trump that a judge imposed last spring after he was present in contempt for failing to show over documents to the state attorney general’s office as a part of an investigation of his company.
The panel of 5 justices ruled that Trump’s contempt effective for not complying with a subpoena for the records was a “proper exercise” of the discretionary power of Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron.
The panel also said the effective of $10,000 per day “was not excessive or otherwise improper, under the actual circumstances.”
Attorney General Letitia James applauded the two-page ruling issued by the state Supreme Court Appellate Division’s First Judicial Department.
“Once more, the courts have ruled that Donald Trump is just not above the law,” James said.
“For years, he tried to stall and thwart our lawful investigation into his financial dealings, but today’s decision sends a transparent message that there are consequences for abusing the legal system,” she said. “We won’t be bullied or dissuaded from pursuing justice.”
Alina Habba, Trump’s lawyer within the case, didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
Engoron imposed the effective on Trump last April after ruling that he had repeatedly failed to provide James’ investigators business records from the Trump Organization that they were looking for for his or her probe of his real estate company.
“Mr. Trump has willfully disobeyed a lawful order of the court,” Engoron said on the time.
Trump later paid the effective, but appealed Engoron’s contempt finding.
James in September filed a $250 million lawsuit against Trump, his company and three of his adult children, accusing them of widespread fraud involving years’ price of economic statements.
The suit alleges that Trump grossly overstated the worth of his assets to banks, insurers and the IRS to get well loan and insurance terms for the Trump Organization, and to acquire tax advantages.
As well as to very large financial damages, James’ suit seeks to permanently bar Trump and his children — Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump — from serving as an officer of an organization in Latest York, and permanently bar the Trump firms named as defendants from doing business in Latest York state.
