A New York judge on Monday held Donald J. Trump in contempt of court for failing to turn over documents to the state’s attorney general, an extraordinary rebuke of the former president.
The judge, Arthur F. Engoron, ordered Mr. Trump to comply with a subpoena seeking records and assessed a fine of $10,000 per day until he satisfied the court’s requirements. In essence, the judge concluded that Mr. Trump had failed to cooperate with the attorney general, Letitia James, and follow the court’s orders.
“Mr. Trump: I know you take your business seriously, and I take mine seriously,” remarked Justice Engoron of State Supreme Court in Manhattan, before he held Mr. Trump in contempt and banged his gavel.
Trump’s lawyer said they would appeal.
In a bench ruling Monday, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled there was no evidence that Trump had conducted a “proper, thorough search” for items that might be relevant to the subpoena, and said that what his attorney offered as evidence of compliance was “woefully insufficient.”
