Trump enters a "plea" in a civil investigation

             In New York on Wednesday, Donald Trump decided to submit to questions under oath regarding alleged fraud at his family business as legal pressure mounts against the former president, whose home was just two days ago raided by the FBI.

 

During a deposition at the New York attorney general's office, Trump claimed he had "no choice" but to invoke the fifth amendment, which grants people the right to remain silent while being questioned to avoid being forced to reveal private information.

 

I decided to answer the questions under the rights and privileges provided to every citizen under the United States Constitution, Trump said in a statement reportedly released after the deposition started, adding that he sought the advice of his legal advisors.

 

You are left with no choice when your family, your business, and everyone else in your immediate vicinity is being investigated as part of a politically driven Witch Hunt that is being supported by the legal system, the prosecutor's office, and the fake news media.

 

The deposition comes after a remarkable Federal Bureau of Investigation search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida earlier this week, signifying an expansion of the 45th president's legal investigations.

 

In his statement on Wednesday, Trump attacked the search, claiming that "the current Administration and many prosecutors in this Country have lost all moral and ethical bounds of decency." He arrived at the offices of the New York Attorney General Leti­tia James early on Wednesday in a convoy of cars guarded by the secret service. Leti­tia James' investigation is one of several ongoing investigations into the brash billionaire's business practices and other deeds.

 

James believes that the Trump Organization inflated the worth of its real estate holdings when applying for bank loans while understating them to the tax authorities to reduce its tax obligations.

 

James, a Democrat, has the right to sue the Trump Organization for damages if she discovers any proof of financial wrongdoing, but she cannot press charges because the probe is a civil one.