US President Donald Trump speaks during a retreat with Republican lawmakers at Camp David in Thurmont, Maryland, January 6, 2018. (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Daniel Baldwin –OAN White House Correspondent
UPDATED 8:39 AM PT – Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Former President Donald Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment rights Wednesday morning, refusing to answer questions from New York Attorney General Letitia James at a deposition.
“Under the advice of my counsel and for all of the above reasons, I declined to answer the questions under the rights and privileges afforded to every citizen under the United States Constitution,” Trump said in a statement on Truth Social.
James scheduled the deposition to question the 45th president as part of a three-year civil lawsuit regarding the Trump Organization’s business dealings, specifically whether the business improperly inflated the value of its assets.
“I did nothing wrong, which is why, after five years of looking, the Federal, State and local governments together with the Fake News Media have found nothing,” said Trump.
Trump defended his decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment, arguing that prosecutors have “lost all moral and ethical bounds of decency.” The 45th President launched into an attack on James’ motives, claiming she campaigned on targeting Trump.
“Attorney General Letitia James openly campaigned on the policy of ‘Get and Destroy Trump,’” Trump wrote. “This political attack on me, my family, and my great company is her despicable attempt to fulfill that cynical, and very corrupt promise.”
“What Letitia James has tried to do the last three years is a disgrace to the legal system, an affront to New York State taxpayers, and a violation of the solemn rights and protections afforded by the United States Constitution,” Trump said.
(Statement by Donald Trump via Truth Social)