New York state Attorney General Letitia James (D) is not backing down from her efforts to hold the Trump clan accountable, no matter former President Donald Trump’s consistent antagonism. In a weird Easter weekend statement, Trump ranted: “Happy Easter to failed gubernatorial candidate and racist Attorney General Letitia James. May she remain healthy despite the fact that she will continue to drive business out of New York while at the same time keeping crime, death, and destruction in New York!” Through a spokesperson, James responded in apparent reference to that statement and other complaints that she won’t be “bullied.” As spokesperson Delaney Kempner pointedly put it:
‘Like all Americans, Donald J. Trump is entitled to defend himself in court. However, this attorney general will not be bullied or intimidated by the former president. The courts have ruled time and time again that the office’s investigation into Mr. Trump and his financial dealings is legitimate and lawful, and Attorney General James will continue to follow the facts and the law wherever they may lead. Nothing will dissuade her from pursuing justice.’
We are taking legal action to force Cushman & Wakefield to comply with our investigation into Donald Trump and the Trump Organization's financial dealings.
Cushman has provided real estate services for the Trump Organization that are significant to our investigation.— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) April 8, 2022
James recently kickstarted new efforts to get certain information she’s after amid her civil investigation into the Trump business. She requested that Trump be held in contempt of court and fined $10,000 a day as long as his company continues its non-compliance with a subpoena, and she also recently sought to get Cushman & Wakefield — a global real estate firm that’s done work for the Trump company — to be compelled by a court to comply with the probe James is conducting. Cushman & Wakefield’s work for the Trump Organization included appraisals, including appraisals involved with deceptive valuations for conservation easements at Trump properties in New York and California. James’s investigation — like a parallel criminal investigation into the Trump company being conducted by the office of Manhattan-area District Attorney Alvin Bragg — is focusing on apparent deceptive valuations by the Trump company for its assets. The valuations were poised to provide unearned financial benefits to the Trump Organization such as tax breaks (including in the case of the deceptively represented conservation easements) and favorable loan terms. Cushman was also tied to the Trump company’s appraisals it used for potential lenders.
How much money did the Trump family make from foreign countries while Trump was president? Why aren't more people asking this question?
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) April 18, 2022
Meanwhile, the ridiculous rhetoric Trump released on Easter strikingly contrasts with messages released by leaders such as President Joe Biden. “As we reflect today on Christ’s Resurrection, we are reminded that with faith, hope, and love — even death can be defeated. From our family to yours, we wish you hope, health, joy, and the peace of God, which passes all understanding. Happy Easter and may God bless and keep you,” a Sunday Biden tweet read. What a noticeable change from the vitriol from Trump’s corner. The ex-president just keeps ranting — although notably, a couple of his recent rallies featured remarkably low attendance levels. A recent Trump rally in North Carolina had thousands fewer attendees than a Trump rally held at the same venue prior to 2016’s election, local reporting revealed.
As we reflect today on Christ’s Resurrection, we are reminded that with faith, hope, and love — even death can be defeated. From our family to yours, we wish you hope, health, joy, and the peace of God, which passes all understanding. Happy Easter and may God bless and keep you.
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 17, 2022
