(CNN) — A state judge ruled Tuesday that the Trump Organization must turn over documents related to a property whose tax cuts were being investigated by the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The Trump Organization previously claimed that the documents were protected by attorney-client privilege.
Amy Carlin, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, argued Tuesday that the Trump organization had “every expectation that those communications would be confidential” regarding discussions about a property in Westchester County that involved an engineer.
The attorney general’s office argued that the documents were not privileged, in part, because the organization had “waived the privilege” when it disclosed certain documents to the IRS to “obtain benefits,” said attorney Eric Haren of the attorney general’s office. .
Haren said “literally everything other than the final appraised value” was not disclosed to his office.
Investigation of the Trump Organization
James’ office has been investigating President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization since 2019, when former Trump attorney Michael Cohen testified before Congress that the president’s annual financial statements inflated the values of his assets to secure favorable loans and coverage. for sure, but they deflated the value of other assets in order to reduce property taxes.
Haren argued Tuesday that the refusal to release those documents has “delayed” the attorney general’s ability to investigate.
New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron made the decision after arguments were held remotely Tuesday. Engoron previously ruled that documents were protected by privilege.
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