New York Attorney General Letitia James defended the $454 million fraud verdict against former President Donald Trump during a Democratic National Convention event in Chicago.
Speaking at a Thursday morning breakfast, James expressed confidence that Trump's attorneys' recent appeals court filing would be rejected, according to a report by the Washington Examiner.
James characterized Trump's legal strategy as "basically a repetition of all the things that he has said previously that have been rejected by the courts."
The attorney general's remarks came shortly after her office urged an appeals court to uphold the February 16 ruling by New York Judge Arthur Engoron, which found Trump and his business associates liable for civil fraud.
James's office filed a 168-page document with the appeals court, arguing that Trump, the Trump Organization, and top executives engaged in "deceptive strategies" to misrepresent the former president's assets. Assistant Solicitor General Daniel S. Magy wrote in the filing that the defendants' appeal largely ignored their deceptions.
The judgment, which has now risen to over $485 million due to interest, imposed significant penalties on Trump. These include limiting his ability to conduct business in New York and placing the Trump Organization under the supervision of a court-appointed monitor for at least three years.
In their defense filing last month, Trump's legal team called the judgment an "unauthorized, unprecedented power grab" and maintained that the company's business dealings resulted in "no victims and no losses."
The Appellate Division has scheduled oral arguments for Trump's appeal on September 26, just weeks before the November 5 election. This timing could potentially impact the presidential race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump has already posted a $175 million bond to prevent the state from collecting the judgment while his appeal is pending. The appeals court's decision, which typically comes about a month after arguments, could affirm, reduce, or overturn the original judgment.
James addressed Trump's claims that New York is no longer business-friendly, stating:
Clearly, businesses are doing well in the great state of New York. He just obviously wants to call people names [and] wants to engage in distraction. And unfortunately, at the end of the day, the law was clear, he's engaged in a patented practice of fraud. And if you or I engaged in it, you and I obviously would suffer the same fate.
The fraud case against Trump has elicited diverse opinions from prominent figures. Kevin O'Leary, known for his role on "Shark Tank," vowed to cease investment in New York as a result of the ruling. Conversely, former Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo admitted in a June interview that he believed the fraud case "should have never been brought."
If the appeals court does not rule in Trump's favor, the former president could petition the highest court in New York to review his case. The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for Trump's business operations in New York and potentially impact his political future.
In conclusion, Attorney General Letitia James remains confident in the fraud verdict against Donald Trump despite ongoing legal challenges. The appeals process is set to unfold in the coming months, with potential ramifications for both Trump's business empire and the upcoming presidential election. As the case progresses, it continues to draw attention and spark debate among political figures and business leaders alike.
