Cushman appeals contempt ruling in New York Trump probe

132
2
Cushman appeals contempt ruling in New York Trump probe

The real estate giant appeals 'each and every part of the contempt order in the New York Trump probe. NEW YORK - Cushman Wakefield, a company that appraised several properties belonging to Donald Trump, appealed on Wednesday to a court order finding it in contempt of court related to subpoenas in a civil investigation into whether the former U.S. president manipulated asset values.

Justice Arthur Engoron of a New York state court in Manhattan found Cushman in contempt and imposed a $10,000 a-day fine on July 7.

He chastised Cushman for waiting for more time to comply with New York Attorney General Letitia James' subpoenas, saying it had only himself to blame if it chose to treat the looming deadlines cavalierly. Engoron acknowledged that James sought an enormous number of documents from Cushman, but said that state law allowed subpoenas of that breadth.

In a court filing, Cushman asked a state appeals court in Manhattan to reverse Engoron's contempt finding and allow more time to comply with the subpoenas.

Cushman has rejected any suggestion that it has not acted in good faith, and produced several hundred thousand pages of documents and more than 650 appraisals since February.

A spokeswoman for James didn't respond immediately to requests for comment.

James, a Democrat, is investigating whether Trump and his family business, the Trump Organization, inflated the values of golf clubs, hotels, and other real estate to obtain favorable loans and reduced the values to save on taxes.

Her office is able to gather documents as it prepares to question Trump and two of his adult children, Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump, under oath beginning on July 15.

He paid $110,000 in fines after Engoron held him in contempt on April 25. The judge lifted that contempt order last week.