Trump Fails to Halt Contempt-of-Court Fine During Appeal

(Bloomberg) -- A New York appeals court denied former President Donald Trump’s request to suspend his $10,000-a-day fine for contempt of court while he challenges a judge’s ruling that he failed to respond to a subpoena.

Trump’s motion was denied Tuesday, one day after it was filed, according to the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, who issued the subpoena in a probe of asset valuations at the former president’s real-estate company.

The appeal was filed after New York state court Judge Arthur Engoron ruled the former president violated a court order by missing a March 31 deadline to respond to the state’s demand for any records related to the valuations in his personal possession.

Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba, declined to comment on the appeals court decision.

Habba had asked the appellate court to place the fine on hold, calling it “patently improper and impermissible by law.” She has insisted that Trump doesn’t have any personal records that are responsive to the subpoena.

James, a Democrat, is investigating whether the Trump Organization for years used misleading asset valuations to get more favorable terms on loans, insurance and taxes. While the Trump Organization has turned over more than 6 million pages of records, the state argues Trump needs to review his own records, as well as his cell phones, for any pertinent information.

The attorney general argues that a proper search of records held by the leader of the company is warranted because the fraud probe has already uncovered “significant” evidence of potential wrongdoing.

©2022 Bloomberg L.P.