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- Former President Donald Trump is being deposed Thursday in a $250 million civil-fraud case brought against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
- The suit alleges Trump and his three eldest children misstated the value of assets to obtain loans and tax benefits.
- In a Truth Social post, Trump lashed out at James for "leaking" his arrival time.
- Trump's deposition comes a week after he was arraigned in New York City in a separate criminal case.
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday criticized New York Attorney General Letitia James ahead of being deposed in a $250 million civil fraud case she brought against him.
"I will be heading downtown to meet with a Racist who leaked that I would be there at 9:30 A.M," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform a little less than an hour and a half before his stated arrival time.
Trump is set to be questioned under oath in the civil suit that James filed in September. Her suit alleges Trump and his three eldest children—Ivanka, Eric, and Donald Trump Jr.—misstated the value of prized assets, including golf courses and hotels, to obtain favorable loans and tax benefits.
The former president's return to New York City for Thursday's deposition comes after he was in the city a week earlier for arraignment on 34 counts of falsifying business records in a separate criminal case.
That case, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, involves hush money payments made during the 2016 campaign to hide alleged extramarital sexual affairs. Trump has denied the affairs, as well as any wrongdoing in both cases.
In his Truth Social post, Trump also alleged that by "leaking" his arrival time, James comprised the ability of law enforcement officials to fully do their duties.
"The leak makes it much more difficult for the Police and Secret Service to do their job," he wrote. "This civil case is ridiculous, just like all of the other Election Interference cases being brought against me. If I had a fair judge, this case would have never happened. MAGA!"
Trump also lashed out against James' lawsuit in a separate Truth Social message he posted in the early hours of Thursday.
"I built a GREAT & prosperous company, employed thousands of people, built magnificent structures all over the World, but particularly in New York, & now have to prove it to this LOWLIFE who campaigned on a 'I will get Trump' platform, even before knowing anything about me!" he said.
Trump was previously deposed by James' office in August during her investigation into his business dealings. During that deposition, Trump declined to answer questions and invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination more than 440 times.
In November, Trump filed a lawsuit in the Florida State Circuit Court against James, accusing her of "a relentless, pernicious, public and unapologetic crusade" against him and the Trump Organization
He has previously called both James and Bragg "racists," and said that both cases against him are politically motivated "witch hunts."
Newsweek reached out to James' office and Trump representatives via email for comment.
About the writer
Jon Jackson is a News Editor at Newsweek based in New York. His focus is on reporting on the Ukraine ... Read more