US President Donald Trump's son Eric attends an event in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, the US, August 20 2020. Picture: REUTERS/TOM BRENNER
Lawyers for the attorney-general said the subpoenas were issued as part of her “ongoing confidential civil investigation into potential fraud or illegality”, adding there has been no determination that any laws were broken. James said she began her probe after Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen said in congressional testimony that the president's financial statements inflated some asset values to save money on loans and insurance, and deflated other asset values to reduce real estate taxes.
James is examining an apparent $21.1m tax deduction for Seven Springs for 2015 from the donation of a “conservation easement”, following Donald Trump's two-decade failure to build a golf course or residential housing on the property. James said “significant amounts” of subpoenaed materials have been produced but there is an impasse over other materials.