NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- Donald Trump was back in Manhattan on Thursday for his second deposition in a $250 million fraud lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The former president was set to testify at the A.G.'s office in Lower Manhattan, not far from where he was arraigned last week on an unrelated 34-count felony indictment in the Manhattan D.A. "hush money" case. James' civil suit claims Trump and his family misled banks and business associates by giving false info about his net worth and the value of assets like hotels and golf courses. Trump and his company have denied any wrongdoing.
THURSDAY, APRIL 13
7 p.m. -- Trump answered deposition questions for 7 hours
Trump answered questions for nearly seven hours Thursday during his second deposition in a legal battle with New York's attorney general over his company's business practices, reversing an earlier decision to invoke his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination and remain silent.
The Republican met all day with lawyers for James, who sued Trump last year.
Trump departed in his motorcade just before 6:15 p.m. and did not stop to speak to reporters.
3:30 p.m. -- Bragg receives 2nd white powder threat
A day before Trump landed back in New York City for his second deposition with James' office, Bragg received a second white powder threat in the mail Wednesday evening, two sources told NBC News.
The most recent envelope included a letter that used an expletive to describe Bragg's weight, along with a photo of the DA and Trump and powder that authorities determined was nonhazardous, the sources said.
The incident was the second time in weeks that Bragg had been sent white powder.
1 p.m. -- Trump will answer questions from NY AG, his lawyer says
Donald Trump's lawyer signaled that he intends to answer questions this time instead of invoking his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination as he did when he was deposed last August.
“President Trump is not only willing but also eager to testify before the Attorney General today," his attorney, Alina Habba, said in a statement to the Associated Press. "He remains resolute in his stance that he has nothing to conceal, and he looks forward to educating the Attorney General about the immense success of his multi-billion dollar company.”
James declined to answer a question about the deposition at a news conference on an unrelated matter Wednesday.
Trump previously met with James' lawyers Aug. 10, but refused to answer all but a few procedural questions, invoking his Fifth Amendment rights more than 400 times.
At the time, James had not yet brought her lawsuit and it was unclear whether questions about the way Trump valued his company would become the basis of a criminal case.
“Anyone in my position not taking the Fifth Amendment would be a fool, an absolute fool,” he said in that deposition, which was recorded on video and later released publicly. Trump predicted a “renegade” prosecutor would try to make a criminal case out of his answers, if he gave them.
The lawsuit James brought is scheduled to go to trial in October.
10 a.m. -- Photos show Trump motorcade arriving at NY AG office
Donald Trump was met by a group of protesters and many media members as he arrived at the New York attorney general's office in Lower Manhattan, according to reporters on the scene.
Trump's motorcade arrived at the office on Liberty Street shortly before 10 a.m.
"New York hates you," demonstrators chanted as the motorcade passed them.
Supporters also greeted the former president with Trump 2024 banners.
9:15 a.m. -- Trump calls NY AG 'racist,' slams 'leak' of Thursday visit
Trump took to his Truth Social network to slam A.G. Letitia James, who he accused without evidence of leaking his planned visit to New York on Thursday for a deposition at her office.
"I will be heading downtown to meet with a Racist who leaked that I would be there at 9:30 A.M." Trump wrote of James, who is Black, ahead of his visit.
"The leak makes it much more difficult for the Police and Secret Service to do their job," he continued.
"This civil case is ridiculous, just like all of the other Election Interference cases being brought against me. If I had a fair judge, this case would have never happened. MAGA!" he added.
8 a.m. -- Trump back in New York City for 2nd deposition
There was a lot of security around Trump Tower again Thursday morning, with police barricades up along Fifth Avenue. Several dozen police officers were in place and there was a large media presence in the area.
Hours earlier, Trump was seen waving to the press as he walked into Trump Tower on Wednesday night.
He'll head to Letitia James' downtown office Thursday morning to be grilled in another deposition regarding a civil suit that James filed last September for fraud involving the former president and his three adult children.
Trump—who told Fox News' Tucker Carlson this week that he's "been through seven years of bulls*** investigations"—is expected to plead the Fifth or refuse to answer the questions when he's deposed Thursday.
During his August deposition to James, Trump opened his statements by saying: "There's never been another president, or perhaps even another politician, who's been persecuted, harassed and in every other way unfairly treated like President Donald J. Trump."
It's been a busy month of legal wrangling for Trump. On Wednesday, the former president announced he was suing his former lawyer Michael Cohen for $500 million, alleging Cohen made false statements about him month after month and broke attorney–client privilege.
Meanwhile, a lawyer for columnist E. Jean Carroll, who says Trump raped her over a quarter century ago in a Manhattan department store dressing room, urged a New York judge Wednesday to reject his request to delay this month’s civil trial because of publicity about charges in the Manhattan D.A.'s criminal case. Trump has repeatedly denied he raped Carroll or that he ever encountered her at a department store in 1996.
Last week, Trump was charged with dozens of felonies for allegedly falsify business records in connection to "hush money" payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and two other people.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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