Trump Pleads 5th After Saying “If You’re Innocent, Why Are You Taking The Fifth?”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Former President Donald Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment rights, and refused to answer questions while being deposed by the New York Attorney General’s office Wednesday. It comes following a three-year civil investigation into the Trump organization’s finances. AG Letitia James says there is evidence the organization used false information to obtain loans. The trump team denies any wrongdoing. Prior to the deposition, Trump himself posted about the situation on Truth Social calling it a “continuation of the greatest witch hunt in US history.”

While campaigning in 2016, Trump said that taking the Fifth is a sign of guilt. He said, “So they have five people taking the Fifth Amendment, like you see on the mob, right? You see the mob takes the Fifth. If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?”

This has been a busy legal week for the former president. On Monday, the FBI searched Trump’s Florida home in connection to its investigation into classified documents. Then on Tuesday, a federal appeals court denied his effort to prevent a house committee from getting his tax records.

Our question of the night: is pleading the Fifth an admission of guilt?

This episode’s panel features:
WCCB TV’s Morgan Fogarty
WCCB News Edge contributor Ashley Anderson
WCCB TV’s Zach Aldridge