Former President Donald Trump stated he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights, in step with the recommendation of his legal professionals, all over his deposition as a part of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ civil investigation, calling it an “unfounded politically motivated Witch Hunt,” including that he had “no selection,” because of the Biden management and prosecutors around the country having “misplaced all ethical and moral bounds of decency.”

Trump used to be set to take a seat down with legal professionals from the state lawyer common’s place of work behind-closed-doors, simply days after the FBI raided his home at Mar-a-Lago, as a part of an unrelated federal investigation involving the National Archives and Records Administration and labeled fabrics the previous president allegedly took with him from the White House to Palm Beach, Fla., when he left place of work in January 2021.

In a observation Wednesday morning, Trump stated: “What Letitia James has attempted to do the ultimate 3 years is a shame to the felony gadget, an affront to New York State taxpayers, and a contravention of the solemn rights and protections afforded via the United States Constitution.” 

“I did not anything unsuitable, which is why, after 5 years of having a look, the Federal, State and native governments, in conjunction with the Fake News Media, have discovered not anything,” Trump stated. “We can not allow a renegade and out-of-control prosecutor to make use of this investigation as a way of advancing her political occupation. New York merits higher, and this Country merits higher. This is a vindictive and self-serving fishing expedition, the likes of which our Country hasn’t ever observed prior to.” 

“The United States Constitution exists for this very function, and I will be able to put it to use to the fullest extent to shield myself by contrast malicious assault via this management, this Attorney General’s Office, and all different assaults on my circle of relatives, my industry, and our Country,” Trump stated. 

“I as soon as requested, ‘If you’re blameless, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?’ Now I do know the solution to that query,” he persisted. “When your circle of relatives, your corporate, and the entire other people to your orbit have grow to be the objectives of an unfounded, politically motivated Witch Hunt supported via legal professionals, prosecutors, and the Fake News Media, you don’t have any selection.” 

“If there used to be any query in my thoughts, the raid of my house, Mar-a-Lago, on Monday via the FBI, simply two days previous to this deposition, burnt up any uncertainty,” Trump stated. “I’ve completely no selection since the present Administration and lots of prosecutors on this Country have misplaced all ethical and moral bounds of decency.”

He added: “Accordingly, below the recommendation of my recommend and for all the above causes, I declined to respond to the questions below the rights and privileges afforded to each citizen below the United States Constitution.”

The former president is the ultimate member of the circle of relatives to be deposed as a part of the investigation. Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. have been deposed previous this month. All 3 depositions have been anticipated to happen ultimate month, yet Trump’s legal professionals had requested for a extend, after the surprising passing of Ivana Trump, Trump’s first spouse and the mum of his 3 eldest kids, on July 14. The depositions have been scheduled to happen the following day. 

TRUMP TO BE DEPOSED IN JAMES’ INVESTIGATION WEDNESDAY

A legal professional for Trump didn’t straight away reply to a request for remark. The AG’s place of work didn’t verify nor deny the ideas and declined to remark.  

James’ place of work has been conducting a civil investigation into the Trump Organization to determine whether or not Trump and his corporate improperly inflated the worth of belongings on monetary statements to be able to download loans and tax advantages. 

(Felipe Ramales / Fox News Digital)

Those monetary dealings that the NY AG believes will have been doubtlessly fraudulent come with houses corresponding to Trump’s property Seven Springs in Westchester, New York, 40 Wall Street, and his place of abode at Trump Tower in New York City. 

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has stated the investigation is politically motivated and a “witch hunt.” 

Trump’s place of work, in a Wednesday morning press unencumber, shared a video on Rumble that stated: “Abusing the lawyer common’s place of work to assault President Trump.”

The video displays James with a supporter announcing: “Please sue him for us,: and James responding: “Oh we’re going to certainly sue him. We’re going to be an actual ache within the a—.”

(Felipe Ramales / Fox News Digital)

The video displays some other clip of James announcing she “won’t ever be afraid to problem this illegitimate president.”

“We want to focal point on Donald Trump,” James says in some other clip. “We want to observe his cash.”

The video ends with some other clip of James all over her marketing campaign announcing: “This illegitimate president—I sit up for going into the place of work of the lawyer common each day, suing him, after which going house.”

Meanwhile, concurrently, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is carrying out a prison investigation into the Trump Organization’s financial dealings. That investigation used to be introduced via former Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance in 2019 and used to be involved in conceivable financial institution, insurance coverage and tax fraud.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James introduced an investigation into the incident Thursday, an afternoon after Jason Jones died in a health center burn unit and weeks after he used to be set allegedly on hearth via an officer’s Taser. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

The case concerned monetary dealings of Trump’s Manhattan houses, together with his flagship Fifth Avenue construction, Trump Tower, and the valuation of his 213-acre property Seven Springs in Westchester.

Earlier this yr, the brand new Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg stopped pursuing fees in opposition to former President Trump and suspended the investigation “indefinitely,” some of the best prosecutors who resigned from the place of work stated in his resignation letter–but disagreed with the verdict. 

But a a spokesperson for Bragg insisted the probe “continues.”

“A workforce of skilled prosecutors is operating each day to observe the info and the regulation,” the spokesperson instructed Fox News. “There is not anything we will be able to or must say at this juncture about an ongoing investigation.”

In that case, a supply acquainted with the investigation pointed Fox News Digital, particularly, to Trump’s “Statement of Financial Condition,” which stories an entity’s belongings, liabilities and skills to boost and use finances.

TRUMP FBI RAID: AGENTS SEIZE MAR-A-LAGO DOCUMENTS IN UNPRECEDENTED MOVE

The supply instructed Fox News Digital that Trump didn’t inflate his monetary statements, as prosecutors had expected, yet as a substitute, undervalued his belongings. 

The supply additionally instructed Fox News that Trump by no means defaulted on bills to banks, and stated his observation of economic situation integrated “caveats” which “refuted” claims via the DA’s place of work.

Wide attitude entrance elevation of Trump tower on Fifth Avenue Manhattan NYC

The probe ended in tax fraud fees ultimate July in opposition to The Trump Organization, and its finance leader Allen Weisselberg.

FBI WOULD NOT LET TRUMP ATTORNEYS IN ROOMS AS AGENTS RAIDED MAR-A-LAGO, WARRANT FOCUSED ON NARA: SOURCE

Weisselberg used to be accused of accumulating greater than $1.7 million in off-the-books repayment, together with rental hire, automotive bills and faculty tuition.

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Both Weisselberg and the Trump Organization have pleaded now not accountable.

The Associated Press contributed to this record.