Ivanka Trump gave a deposition in a lawsuit accusing the Trump Organization of misusing the president's inauguration funds, and Melania's ex-friend is next
- Ivanka Trump was deposed by Washington, DC investigators on Tuesday in connection to a lawsuit on alleged misuse of inaugural funds, according to a court filing.
- The lawsuit in question was filed by the Washington, DC District Attorney's office in January 2020.
- It alleges that the Presidential Inaugural Committee enriched the Trump Organization by overpaying to use the Trump International Hotel in DC for President Donald Trump's inauguration events in 2017.
- The committee paid more than $1 million to use the hotel, despite one of the inauguration's event planners warning Ivanka that it was at least twice the market rate.
- The court filing said investigators are also set to interview Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former friend of first lady Melania Trump who helped plan the president's inauguration before getting fired by the White House.
President Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, was deposed by investigators in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, in connection to a lawsuit about spending on the 2017 inauguration, according to a recent court filing.
In January, the Washington, DC attorney general's office sued the Trump Organization and the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC), alleging that the committee had enriched the Trump family's company by overpaying to use the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, for inauguration events.
According to the court filing, witness depositions have been taking place for the last several weeks, and on Tuesday, it was the first daughter's turn to answer questions.
In a January 2020 press release announcing the lawsuit, the Washington AG's office wrote that one of the inauguration's planners, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, "raised concerns" about the hotel's rate with both Ivanka Trump and the deputy chairman of the PIC, Rick Gates, saying it was at least twice the market rate.
"Despite this warning, Gates allowed the PIC to enter into a contract with the Trump Hotel for four days of event space at a total cost of $1.03 million, an amount far above even the Hotel's own internal pricing guidelines," the press release reads.
According to the Tuesday court filing, which revealed that Ivanka was deposed, Wolkoff herself is set to give a deposition next week on December 9.
Wolkoff, a New York socialite and former Vogue event planner, was brought on to help plan the inauguration by her longtime friend, first lady Melania Trump. Following the inauguration, she worked as an unpaid aide to the first lady.
But Wolkoff herself was let go after reports revealed in February 2018 that $26 million was paid to her company, WIS Media Partners, over the course of the inauguration work.
Wolkoff told The New York Times in May 2019 that she was let go from the White House not because of the inauguration spending, but because the administration was ending all "gratuitous service agreements."
Wolkoff has since turned against the White House and has been cooperating with federal investigators looking into the inauguration's spending. She also recently published a book about her relationship with the first lady and her work at the White House, titled "Melania and Me."
The Justice Department filed a complaint against Wolkoff in October, claiming that she breached a nondisclosure agreement. Wolkoff described the move as "bullying tactics" in response.
Ivanka Trump's deposition on Tuesday is perhaps a preview of her post-White House life.
The president and his administration await multiple potential lawsuits upon leaving office, and The Times reported Tuesday that the president is exploring the option of giving out preemptive pardons to his eldest children, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany denied the allegation on Wednesday.
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