Donald Trump held in contempt in New York legal battle

SourceBBC

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A US judge has held former President Donald Trump in contempt for failing to turn over files for an investigation into his business practices.

Justice Arthur Engoron on Monday ordered Mr Trump pay a fine of $10,000 (£7,850) per day until he complies.

New York Attorney General Letitia James had asked the court to hold Mr Trump in contempt after he missed a March deadline to present certain documents.

The former president’s lawyer had called the motion “frivolous”.

Ms James, a Democrat, opened a civil inquiry in 2019 into claims that – before he took office – Mr Trump had inflated the value of his assets to banks when seeking loans.

On Monday, Justice Engoron said a contempt finding was warranted because of what he called “repeated failures” to hand over the requested materials.

“Mr Trump… I know you take your business seriously, and I take mine seriously. I hereby hold you in civil contempt,” he said, although the former president was not in the courtroom.