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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 26 april 2022
Judge finds Donald Trump in contempt in New York legal fight

NEW YORK (AP) — A New turned over more than 6
York judge found former million documents and
President Donald Trump in paperwork related to 103
contempt of court and set Trump entities for an eight-
in motion $10,000 daily fines year period.
Monday for failing to ade- "We've turned over every-
quately respond to a sub- thing as fast as possible.
poena issued by the state's This is a waste of judicial re-
attorney general as part of sources," Habba added.
a civil investigation into his She also defended Trump's
business dealings. character, saying: "My cli-
Judge Arthur Engoron said ent is an honest person
a contempt finding was ap- much to the dismay of cer-
propriate because Trump tain people in this room."
and his lawyers hadn't Trump spokespeople did
shown they had conduct- not immediately respond
ed a proper search for re- to a request for comment.
cords sought by the sub- Investigators for James
poena. have said in court filings
"Mr. Trump, I know you take that they uncovered evi-
your business seriously, and dence that Trump may
I take mine seriously," En- have misstated the value of
goron said in a Manhat- Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, Saturday, assets like golf courses and
tan courtroom that was April 23, 2022, in Delaware, Ohio, to endorse Republican candidates ahead of the Ohio primary skyscrapers on his financial
packed with reporters, but on May 3. statements for more than a
absent of Trump. "I hereby Associated Press decade.
hold you in civil contempt At the hearing, Assistant
and fine you $10,000 a day" that the ruling will be ap- into him and his company's And after saying he felt "like Attorney General Andrew
until the terms of the sub- pealed. financial dealings. Today's there's an 800-pound gorilla Amer said the investiga-
poena are met. "We respectfully disagree ruling makes clear: No one in the room here," he asked tion was being hampered
New York Attorney Gen- with the court's decision. is above the law." why the response to the "because we don't have
eral Letitia James, a Demo- All documents responsive The contempt finding by subpoena didn't include evidence from the person
crat, had asked the court to the subpoena were pro- the judge came despite a an affidavit from Trump. at the top of this organi-
to hold Trump in contempt duced to the attorney gen- spirited argument by Hab- Habba noted that Trump zation." And he said the
after he failed to produce eral months ago," she said. ba, who insisted repeat- does not send emails or text failure to turn documents
any documents to satisfy James has been conduct- edly that she went to great messages and has no work over in response to the sub-
a March 31 court-imposed ing a lengthy investigation lengths to comply with the computer "at home or any- poena was "effectively Mr.
deadline to meet the terms into the Trump Organiza- subpoena, even traveling where else." She described Trump thumbing his nose at
of the subpoena. tion, the former president's to Florida to ask Trump spe- the search for documents this court's order."
Trump, a Republican, has family company, center- cifically whether he had in as "diligent." Still, Assistant Attorney Gen-
been fighting James in ing around what she has his possession any docu- "The contempt motion is eral Kevin Wallace sig-
court over her investiga- claimed is a pattern of mis- ments that would be re- inappropriate and mislead- naled the probe was about
tion, which he has called a leading banks and tax au- sponsive to the demand. ing," she said. "He com- to move to a new phase,
politically motivated "witch thorities about the value of The judge, though, criti- plied. ... There are no more saying: "We plan to bring
hunt." During oral argu- his properties. cized the lack of detailed documents left to produce enforcement action in the
ments Monday, Trump at- "Today, justice prevailed," explanation in the Trump by President Trump." near future."
torney Alina Habba said James said in a release team's formal response to She also derided the James A parallel criminal investi-
that "Donald Trump does after Engoron's ruling. "For the subpoena, telling Hab- probe as a "political cru- gation is being conducted
not believe he is above the years, Donald Trump has ba: "You can't just stand sade" and "truly a fishing by the Manhattan District
law." tried to evade the law and here and say I searched expedition," saying Trump Attorney, Alvin Bragg, also
Habba said in a statement stop our lawful investigation this and that." and his companies had a Democrat.q

Court won't revive ban on secret

filming at slaughterhouses

WASHINGTON (AP) — The mal agriculture. a picture or video at an
Supreme Court on Mon- A three-judge panel of the animal facility without the
day rejected an appeal by 10th U.S. Circuit Court of owner's consent or to enter
Kansas to revive a law, ear- Appeals in a split decision the facility under false pre-
lier struck down by lower ruled that even if decep- tenses.
courts that banned secret tion is used to enter pri- The Animal Legal Defense
filming at slaughterhouses vate property, Kansas may Fund and the Center for
and other livestock facili- not discriminate based on Food Safety were among
ties. whether the person intends the groups that challenged
The justices did not com- to harm or help the enter- the ban.
ment in leaving in place a prise. The appellate ruling Federal appeals courts
ruling by a federal appeals upheld a permanent in- considering similar laws in
court panel that the so- junction issued by a federal Iowa and Idaho had split
called ag-gag law violated judge in 2020. over the issue, raising Kan- Visitors walk outside the Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill
in Washington, Feb. 21, 2022.
the First Amendment by sti- The Kansas law made it a sas' hope that the high Associated Press
fling speech critical of ani- crime for anyone to take court would step in.q