Judge dismisses former President Donald Trump's lawsuit, allowing New York attorney general investigation to go on

NEW YORK -- A federal judge has dismissed former President Donald Trump's lawsuit to block New York's civil investigation of his business practices. 

U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes' ruling came a day after a New York appeals court ruled Trump must answer questions under oath in New York Attorney General Letitia James' investigation, upholding a lower-court ruling requiring him to sit for a deposition.

Trump sued James in December, just after she issued a subpoena for his testimony. Through his lawyers, the Republican former president alleged the probe was political in nature and James, a Democrat, had violated his constitutional rights in a "thinly-veiled effort to publicly malign Trump and his associates."

James responded saying Trump's lawsuit was a sudden "collateral attack" on her investigation and there was no legal basis for it or evidence to support his claim that the probe is purely political.

At a May 13 hearing, a lawyer for James' office said the probe is winding down and evidence from it could support legal action against the former president, his company, or both.

The lawyer, Andrew Amer, said "there's clearly been a substantial amount of evidence amassed that could support the filing of an enforcement proceeding," although a final determination on filing such an action has not been made.

Amer, a special litigation counsel in James' office, said the office is "nearing the end" of the civil investigation, which James has said uncovered evidence Trump's company misstated the value of assets like skyscrapers and golf courses on financial statements for more than a decade.