Former President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit in New York state last week before appealing Judge Arthur Engoron’s ruling that he must pay a $354 million fine (more than $450 million with interest) on fraud charges. must pay nearly $500 million in bail.
Critics say Trump is the only person to have been sued under an ambiguous New York fraud law that requires no harm and effectively criminalizes the routine act of valuing real estate in negotiations with banks. It is pointed out that there is.
Attorney General Letitia James, who ran on a promise to target Trump, argued that no one is above the law, but her lawsuit against Trump is the first such case in the state’s history. is the only one. And this staggering fine is equally unprecedented.
Jonathan Turley pointing out Another surprising fact new york post: Trump must pay the full fine before appealing:
Under New York state law, President Trump cannot appeal the ruling unless he deposits the entire amount, including interest, into a court account. Even for Trump, $455 million is hard to come by. Similarly, issuing bonds would require companies to guarantee payments to defendants who are prohibited from doing business in New York and face having to liquidate large portions of their portfolios.
For judges like Engoron, there is nothing more successful than excess. Imposing this astronomical number can make it difficult or impossible for defendants to appeal without declaring bankruptcy or selling assets at distressed prices.
Excessive fines and their basis raise serious legal and constitutional questions. Many of us think it needs to be drastically reduced or completely abolished.
Mr. Engoron also rejected any defense of Mr. Trump and declared him guilty on summary judgment in the state.
Joel B. Pollack is a senior editor at Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday Sunday nights from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET (4:00 PM to 7:00 PM PT) on Sirius XM Patriot. He is the author of a new biography, Rhoda: “Comrade Cadderly, you are abnormal.”. He is also the author of a recently published e-book. Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 US Presidential Election. He is the recipient of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter @joelpolak.
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