New York law makes it a felony to create false business documents and file false documents, with the state, which is why the Trumps are so worried.
The full scope of the investigations into the Trump Organization’s valuations is unclear, hidden by the secrecy of a grand jury.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
New York law makes it a felony to falsify business records, to file false documents with the government or to make false statements on a sworn document.
But in every case, those laws require proof of intent: Prosecutors have to show that someone made the false statements knowingly, in an effort to deceive or to cover up a crime.
Eric Trump went off on a rant about political prosecutions out of the blue earlier this week, and it appears that what he is worried about is the investigation into the Trump Organization filing false business documents. Trump’s son would be deeply concerned about the investigation because his signature is likely on some of the documents.
Donald Trump’s signature also appears on loan documents. Prosecutors will need evidence that the Trumps intentionally falsified the documents, but one of the things that we have learned about the Trumps is that they are sloppy and don’t make much of an effort to hide their intents and motives.
Trump spent decades hiding and destroying evidence, but this time, prosecutors have the paper trail, and they’ve got the Trump family worried.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association