Eric Trump Calls Letitia James 'Unethical' As She Probes Other Trump Children
Eric Trump has called New York Attorney General Letitia James the "most unethical prosecutor in the history of the United States" while saying her office's investigation into his father's business practices are unconstitutional.
Donald Trump's son made the remarks on Monday during an appearance on Sean Hannity's Fox News show more than a week after it was revealed James had subpoenaed two of the former president's adult children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, as part of the inquiry.
James' office is looking into allegations Donald Trump fraudulently inflated the value of assets to get better loans from banks and undervalued them to reduce his tax bills. James began the investigation after Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen testified to Congress in 2019.
The civil investigation has reportedly been focusing on four of Trump Organization properties: the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago; 40 Wall Street in downtown Manhattan; the Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles; and the Seven Springs Estate in Westchester County, New York.
In a January 3 tweet, James said that the Trump family are trying to stop her office "from interviewing them under oath as part of our investigation" by filing the motion to quash any potential interview, which she said will ultimately fail.
"Over two years of delay tactics won't stop our investigation because no one is above the law," James said. Eric Trump was questioned under oath by the New York attorney general's office in connection to the civil investigation in October 2020.
Speaking to Hannity, Eric Trump said that James' probe into his family is politically motivated and part of plans to stop Donald Trump from running for president again as President Joe Biden is "effectively handing him the election" in 2024.
"You have Letitia James out there, probably the most unethical prosecutor in the history of the United States, who literally said on video 'I'm going to go into office every single day and I'm going to sue Trump and then I'm going to go home,'" Eric Trump said.
"She ran on the campaign promise of suing my father because she didn't believe in his political party, because she didn't like us, because the people of Washington, D.C. told her to do that. It violates the Constitution, it's unethical, it's wrong."
Eric Trump went on to say the inquiry into his family is "third rate stuff" which he said you would expect to see in countries such as Russia and Venezuela, and said that New York prosecutors should be focusing on tackling violent crimes in the city.
Eric Trump was echoing similar statements made by his father against James while she investigates potential fraud inside the Trump Organization.
In December 2021, Donald Trump sued James while arguing that the inquiry violates his constitutional rights.
"The investigations commenced by James are in no way connected to legitimate law enforcement goals, but rather, are merely a thinly-veiled effort to publicly malign Trump and his associates," the lawsuit filed in New York court reads.
"Her mission is guided solely by political animus and a desire to harass, intimidate, and retaliate against a private citizen who she views as a political opponent. James has deprived, and will continue to deprive, Plaintiffs of their rights under federal law, state law and common law by virtue of her callous acts."
In December, Donald Trump also accused James' investigation into his business of being "prosecutorial misconduct."
He said: "Rather than continue to waste her time and taxpayer resources on a long continuing Witch Hunt against the Republican Party and me, she should focus her attention on helping to resurrect the once Great State of New York where crime and poverty continue to wreak havoc, with murder, rape, drug sales."
James' office has been contacted for comment.
