Trump Takes Fifth Amendment Throughout Deposition With New York Attorney General

Do you remember this guy? Because reports are emerging this morning that Trump took the Fifth Amendment throughout his deposition with the NY AG lawsuit this morning:

According to the New York Times:

Donald J. Trump declined to answer questions from the New York state attorney general’s office on Wednesday, a stunning gamble in a high-stakes legal interview that is likely to determine the course of a civil investigation into his company’s business practices.

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In a statement released shortly after the questioning began on Wednesday, Mr. Trump said he would invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, explaining that he “declined to answer the questions under the rights and privileges afforded to every citizen under the United States Constitution.”

ANY QUESTIONS?

Taking the Fifth Amendment actually doesn’t mean that someone is automatically guilty of some crime. It can be used as a prudent step to not give prosecutors key elements in a crime despite the fact that prosecutors are missing other elements. But as Trump says, it does generally indicate that someone is guilty of something, especially if they do not answer any questions.

Trump might have additional motivation to take the Fifth. He lies with such impunity that saving himself from answering a question may save him from a perjury charge.

Regardless, it is not a good look, especially from a guy who says that the entire thing is a political witch hunt. If it was a political witch hunt, one would expect Trump to use the opportunity to explain why he is not liable in the lawsuit.

Jason Miciak

@JasonMiciak believes a day without learning is a day not lived. He is a political writer, features writer, author, and attorney. He is a Canadian-born dual citizen who spent his teen and college years in the Pacific Northwest and has since lived in seven states. He now enjoys life as a single dad of a young girl, writing from the beaches of the Gulf Coast. He loves crafting his flower pots, cooking, and currently studies philosophy of science, religion, and non-math principles behind quantum mechanics and cosmology. Please feel free to contact with any concerns.