A civil fraud trial against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization continued on Wednesday with testimony from Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
The Trump family has been taking turns on the witness stand in the state of New York’s lawsuit against the Trump Organization. Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump took the stand last week to testify about their roles and knowledge of financial statements.
On Monday, the former president took the stand to testify in the case as one of the key witnesses.
Trump’s daughter Ivanka was questioned Wednesday over her involvement in potential wrongdoings at the family business.
Prior to Ivanka’s testimony, New York Attorney General Letitia James told reporters she thought Trump’s daughter would “distance herself” from the Trump Organization.
“The facts will reveal that, in fact, she was very much involved,” said James. “We uncovered the scheme and she benefited from it personally.”
In an August deposition, Ivanka said she had never prepared a statement of financial condition and didn’t recall an email she wrote that said her father would send a recent financial statement.
Ivanka was asked by the judge to speak up several times during her testimony, which often included the phrase “I don’t recall.”
The former First Daughter had used the same response as her brothers did when taking the witness stand.
After a comment that Ivanka had been “dragged” to court by the state of New York, Louis Solomon, representing the state, said he was trying to ask Ivanka about deals for the Trump Organization that she negotiated “from top to bottom.”
Ivanka said she was not involved in making financial statements for her father.
“I would assume he would have personal financial statements for accounts but those were not statements I was privy to,” said Trump on the witness stand.
“As I told you, I had no involvement in his statement of financial condition and don’t know about the valuation that were taken into account.”
Trump distanced herself from the Trump Organization during her testimony.
“As I sit here now I am not involved in his personal financial statements.”
Ivanka was previously named a co-defendant in the civil fraud trial case before an appeals court dismissed her from the case.
Ivanka will be back on the stand after a break Wednesday, and, depending on the time her testimony ends, the defense could begin their turn in the case.
New York AG James is seeking $250 million in penalties against Trump and his businesses and a ban on the former president being able to conduct business in New York in the future.
Defense attorney Chris Kise said the defense’s case will likely last until Dec. 15. A previous statement from the judge in the trial said the case could last until Dec. 22, 2023.
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