Donald Trump had hoped that his massive fraud judgment would be dropped after he was elected president, but it does not sound like that’s going to happen.
Earlier this year, a New York judge slapped Donald Trump with a $454 million civil fraud judgment after determining that he had fraudulently inflated the value of his assets, including his prestigious golf courses, in order to secure more favorable loan and insurance rates.
Last month, Trump’s attorney, D. John Sauer, asked New York Attorney General Letitia James to drop the case against Trump, suggesting that doing so would “cure” partisan divides and enhance “the health of our Republic.”
However, this week, James made it clear she had no intention of doing so.
In a letter to Trump’s lawyer on Tuesday, a representative for James made it clear that she had made her final decision on the matter and she will continue to pursue the charges against Trump even as he prepares to take office as President next month.
The letter explained that because presidents do not have immunity from civil litigation, James plans to continue defending her judgment against Trump during his appeal.
“The ordinary burdens of civil litigation do not impede the President’s official duties in a way that violates the U.S. Constitution,” New York Deputy Solicitor General Judith Vale wrote in a letter to Sauer, according to ABC News.
This is obviously bad news for Trump, not only because of the staggering amount of money involved but also because it could potentially cost him his beloved golf courses.
If Trump loses his appeal and cannot come up with the money, courts could begin seizing properties and assets that were determined to have “fraudulent” and “misleading” values. This includes several of his golf courses.
Trump even admitted earlier this year that the judgment might force him to “mortgage or sell” some of his assets — possibly including his golf courses — at what he described as “Fire Sale prices” to cover the debt. James even took initial steps toward seizing one of those golf courses earlier this year.
Trump has made it very clear that he hopes to host a major tournament at one of his golf courses. That obviously could not happen if he loses them as part of this judgment.
[ABC News]
