Choose desires sworn statements on Trump’s use of Put up-it notes

Decide Arthur Engoron mentioned he needed sworn statements describing the Trump Organization's document retention and destruction policy, as well as a assessment of 5 containers tied to Trump that had been located in an off-site storage facility. The situations should be met by May 20, in any other case the judge said he would restore the contempt finding and apply it retroactively.

Engoron agreed to allow Trump to position the money in an escrow account till the previous President's attraction of the contempt ruling is completed.

The choose stopped the clock on the nice as of final Friday when Trump's attorneys submitted further sworn statements, including one from Trump, about his effort to comply with the subpoena from the New York attorney common's workplace for data.

New York Attorney Common Letitia James mentioned in a statement that Wednesday's contempt determination sends a clear message to Trump and his group, which she stated has tried to "thwart" the investigation for years, that "nobody can evade accountability."

"We are going to continue to implement the regulation and seek solutions as part of this investigation," James mentioned.

The New York legal professional normal's office moved to carry Trump in contempt after he did not comply with a subpoena for paperwork issued in December 2021. The legal professional general's office is investigating the accuracy of economic statements the Trump Group supplied to lenders, insurers and for tax benefits.

At a hearing Wednesday, Andrew Amer, an legal professional for the state, homed in on the problem of the Put up-it notes, which Trump was identified to use to speak together with his staff, and whether they have been turned over.

"To our information, we've not seen any paperwork that have Post-its on them. And that's one of many odd things in regards to the manufacturing so far given the statements that was a means for Mr. Trump to speak," Ames said. He argued the handling of Put up-it notes should be included within the doc retention and destruction policy.

Alina Habba, an lawyer for Trump, stated she was told by the Trump Group's normal counsel that each one Submit-it notes have been already produced to the legal professional common's workplace.

"It is a little comical," she instructed the choose, while holding up a stack of Submit-its. "I haven't got a formal apply on Submit-its, do you?"

The choose said they could start a new observe within the law: the Post-it affidavit.

The decide said he additionally needed Trump's lawyers to deal with any efforts to achieve former government assistants to Trump and whether or not they could possibly be located.

This story has been updated with additional developments and background information.

CNN's Shawna Mizelle contributed to this report.