Ivanka Trump testimony: Why lack of recall is a common legal strategy
View: What Ivanka Trump failed to remember while testifying In her recent testimony, Ivanka Trump struggled to remember certain details and events that were under investigation. Despite her efforts to recall and provide accurate information, it appears that some aspects eluded her memory. This raises questions about the credibility of her testimony and the level of involvement she had in certain matters.
In the testimony given by Ivanka Trump on Wednesday, which lasted for four hours, she seemingly used the phrase "I don't recall" as a response to most questions. This shortened phrase could almost perfectly summarize the entirety of her testimony.
The oldest daughter of the previous leader Donald Trump was called to testify in the civil fraud case against him, which was filed by the attorney general of New York. The charges against Mr Trump include the alleged exaggeration of his net worth in order to obtain loans from banks that were favorable to him. Ivanka Trump is the fourth member of the Trump family to testify on this matter.
The methods used by the previous three Trumps, namely Mr. Trump and his two sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, varied from being overly confident to being comical to being visibly upset.
However, Ms. Trump, who is not included as a co-defendant unlike them, presented herself in a distinct manner while testifying.
Despite the increasingly heated atmosphere among the lawyers and Judge Arthur Engoron, the 42-year-old remained calm and composed. Her behavior was under strict control. She was constantly courteous and wore a bright smile while talking in a softly spoken, sometimes unvaried tone to the judge and other legal officials who were questioning her.
According to Cal Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, there was a significant difference in behavior between the daughter and father this week. The daughter was not engaging in argumentative behavior with Judge Engoron or the attorney general's representative, refrained from making political statements, and spoke to the judge respectfully. This was completely opposite to the behavior displayed by her father.
The picture in this post was obtained from Reuters, specifically from artist Jane Rosenberg.
. Ivanka Trump maintained a calm demeanor during her legal proceedings. Note: This task was already in free English. The rewritten version provided above is just one alternative, but it does not differ significantly from the original.
Though Ms. Trump's approach varied, there was a commonality between her testimony and that of her siblings: a lack of recollection regarding the pertinent matters.
When the prosecutor Lou Solomon asked Ms. Trump if she was aware of her father's financial statements that were relevant to the case, she responded with phrases like "I'm not sure" or "I can't recall."
"Did you play any part in getting the financial statements ready for Donald J Trump?" inquired Mr Solomon.
"I don't think I have any information on that," replied Ms. Trump.
"Have you ever looked over any of Donald J Trump's financial statements before they were completed?" the prosecutor inquired.
"I can't remember," she stated.
According to Eric Chaffee, a professor at Case Western Reserve University, executives often use a common strategy in business situations. They claim that they deal with a range of problems daily, have frequent communication with various individuals, and sign many different documents to justify their actions. Chaffee is an expert in white collar crime.
Mr. Chaffee expressed his belief that utilizing this defense holds great importance.
He suggested that it might be a wise move from a legal perspective, as Ms. Trump's repeated claims of not remembering certain events and materials could be honest and could ultimately safeguard her reputation and benefit the defendants.
The blog post's featured image comes from Getty Images.
Ms. Trump attempted to evade giving testimony by stating that she was unable to leave her three children who were in Florida.
Ms. Trump's strategy is also aided by the timing. Numerous occurrences and records brought up in the court date back a decade or more, making it understandable for her to not remember them.
During the initial questioning, she made a sarcastic remark that she couldn't recollect a phone call as it took place over 12 years ago when she was heavily pregnant with her eldest offspring.
According to specialists who spoke with the BBC, it's not expected that the overall trial will be impacted significantly by Ms Trump's testimony.
A lawyer named Ty Cobb, who previously supported Mr. Trump during his early presidency days but has now criticized him, stated to the BBC that he doesn't believe Ms. Trump will have any significant influence on the final result.
In his statement, he mentioned that her account didn't contribute any new information to the discussion, at least from his perspective. The only thing she mentioned was that she got a phone call when she was nine months into her pregnancy.
According to Mr. Cobb, if anything, the fact that she had to testify in court - which she had tried hard to avoid - might harm the prosecution in terms of public opinion.
According to Mr. Cobb, the decision made by the attorney general is somewhat risky as it aligns with Trump's message that the whole investigation is nothing but a political tactic to persecute him.
He stated that it's unfortunate that the pressure applied on her to give evidence, despite the lack of any apparently significant testimony, only adds fuel to Mr. Trump's imaginary beliefs.
After all the other people who had to testify, it was finally Ms Trump's turn to go up. The defence will get their turn to bring up their own witnesses next.
Donald Trump, who is the leading candidate for the presidential nomination of the Republican Party, has previously been held responsible for fraudulent activities alongside his two offspring. Despite this, all three individuals have contested the allegations made against them and asserted their innocence.
The outcome of this case will determine the punishment that will be imposed on the accused.
Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York State, filed a lawsuit that aims to penalize the Trump business with a hefty $250 million (£204 million) fine and impose strict limitations on its operations in New York.
More journalists contributed to this article, including Madeline Halpert, Bernd Debusmann Jr, Kayla Epstein, Chloe Kim and Nada Tawfik.
