Manhattan DA’s Office Reportedly Has Suggested For The First Time That They Have Grounds To Investigate Trump And His Businesses For Tax Fraud

We're sure Trump will take this news well.


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The Manhattan district attorney has been after eight years of Donald Trump’s tax returns. Even though the president vowed to release them on multiple occasions as a candidate, he has been in a legal battle to conceal them. And now we’re getting some details about that as the DA’s office suggested for the first time on Monday that it had grounds to investigate the president and his businesses for tax fraud, the New York Times reports.

The district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., has never revealed the scope of his office’s criminal inquiry, citing grand jury secrecy, but now we have a glimpse into what Trump is facing, and tax fraud is a pretty big deal.

Lawyers for Trump have argued that the subpoena should be blocked, calling it “wildly overbroad” and politically motivated. Still, Vance responded to that argument in a new filing, saying that his office did not directly accuse Trump or any of his businesses or associates of wrongdoing.

However, prosecutors listed news reports and public testimony that alleged misconduct by Mr. Trump and his businesses. The reports, prosecutors wrote, would justify a grand jury inquiry into a range of possible crimes, including tax and insurance fraud and falsification of business records. It was the first time the office had included tax fraud among the possible areas of investigation.

“Even if the grand jury were testing the truth of public allegations alone, such reports, taken together, fully justify the scope of the grand jury subpoena at issue in this case,” prosecutors wrote.

And also, this morning, Eric Trump has found himself at the center of his own legal battle over a subpoena issued by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Through his attorneys, the president’s son claimed that he couldn’t comply until after the election in November due to his “extreme travel schedule.”

In response to Eric Trump’s filing, James said: “no one is above the law, period.”

“While we cannot comment on the particular steps we’re taking on specific litigation, we won’t allow any entity or individual to dictate how our investigation will proceed or allow anyone to evade a lawful subpoena,” she said in a statement.

James went to court in August to compel the Trump Organization, including Eric, to testify and turn over documents as part of an investigation into whether the family’s company illegally inflated his assets to attract investors and earn loans or tax benefits.

Eventually, we will see Donald Trump’s tax returns. Everything comes out in the wash. Trump’s supporters say that he should not have to reveal them, but we’re not sure why they don’t want their president to keep his campaign promises.

You can read the full article from the Times here.

Featured image via DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Marianique Santos

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