Ivanka Trump's attempt to block a subpoena issued by New York Attorney General Letitia James is a losing battle that will end with her in court facing either testifying against her father or facing possible perjury charges, former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance said Monday.
On her Substack platform, Vance suggested that Donald Trump's eldest daughter's attempt to duck the subpoena by claiming that James didn't depose her before the Manhattan fraud trial began, so she can't make her testify now, is a non-starter.
In his filing, Ivanka's attorney asserted, "Trial subpoenas are not a means for parties to get discovery, which they failed to obtain during pretrial proceedings,” before adding, "Ms. Trump is not a party in this action. Nor is Ms. Trump a New York resident. It is black-letter law that, given those two facts, Ms. Trump is beyond the jurisdiction of this Court.”
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According to Vance, trial testimony about Trump's daughter's purchase of a penthouse located in her father’s Trump Park Avenue property, and how it is valued, is germane to the fraud case.
Writing, "She is nonetheless a fact witness in this regard, and it seems likely she’ll be ordered to testify," Vance noted, "The Attorney General says that although Ms. Trump has denied it, she benefitted from 'insider' pricing — she had an option to buy the penthouse for $8.5 million, but the Trump Organization’s financial statements valued the unit at $20,820,000."
Pointing out that variance and price manipulation is central to the case against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization, Vance stated that Ivanka will have to take the stand and defend it, or attempt to explain the discrepancy.
And that, the former prosecutor points out, is where things will get dicey for the ex-president's daughter, who has been keeping her distance from her father of late.
"Ivanka Trump may well have to choose between Daddy and perjury, which is why she’s fighting the subpoena," she predicted. "It shouldn’t be a tough call. If their positions were reversed, it’s hard to imagine Trump sacrificing himself for her. As the wheels come off Trump’s legal wagon, it’s going to be everyone for themselves."
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