In another courtroom blow, Donald Trump has been ordered to pay nearly $354 million in damages in a ruling by a New York judge just now.
When judgements against other defendants such as Donald Trump Jr are added up, the total set by Judge Arthur Engoron collectively is $362 million. That sum is very close to the judgement of $370 million that Attorney General Letitia James was seeking.
Additionally, while it likely won’t hurt his hold on the Republican nomination, Trump can now not operate a business in New York state for three years, or seek loans His sons Donald Jr and Eric can not serve in any business in the Empire State for two years, the 92-page rulings says.
In a prelude to today, Judge Engoron already found Trump liable for defrauding banks in a summary judgment decision last September. What was left was a bench trial to essentially determine what penalty Trump and his businesses would face – and now we know.
As correspondents read out the information from their phones on-air, CNN and MSNBC went live with coverage with seconds after the ruling was released on the court docket. Fox News followed several minutes later.
The whole trial turned into a contentious spectacle, as the former president attended on a number of days. Throughout that process, the judge sanctioned Trump and his attorneys for frequent online and verbal attacks on his staff.
New York AG James filed a civil fraud lawsuit in 2022 against Trump, his companies and two of his children. James alleged a scheme over 10 years to engage in fraudulent practices that benefited the Trumps and the company to the tune of $250 million. As was made clear in testimony during the trial, banks were happy to loan the Trumps money even when the figures were questioned.
In his ruling last year, Judge Engoron concluded that Trump and his company, as well as executives, exaggerated values on financial documents, allowing for better loan terms and other business benefits
Trump testified during the proceedings, going on several rants about the prosecution and the judge. Unsurprisingly, Trump also called the whole trial “fraudulent.”
“This crooked judgment will be a dark and sad day for the justice system in New York State,” Trump preemptively wrote on social media earlier this weekend. “No damages, no victims – only success. Case already won on appeal …with hunt!!! Election interference!!!,” the rant continued.
The former president is incorrect that the case has been won on appeal. It has actually not officially been appealed.
The ruling could have wiped out Trump and his sons’ ability to do business in the Empire State for years, the one-time real estate mogul’s attorneys argued in no small part that no one really lost money or was hurt by the inflated figures put forth by the Trump Organization over the years to banks and more. However, while Trump and his sons are now limited by today’s judgements, Judge Engoron did roll back the “corporate death penalty” that would have completely shut down the family and their businesses.
Facing almost 100 indictments, Trump is the presumptive GOP presidential nominee for a 2024 rematch with Joe Biden. A New York judge yesterday announced that Trump’s criminal trial will begin on March 25, three weeks after the multi-primary Super Tuesday. The trial is centered on the falsification of Trump business records tied to the hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels in advance of the 2016 election.
In other court cases, Trump earlier this week asked the Supreme Court for another halt in his January 6 election conspiracy case, as his lawyers worked on an appeal of a decision that soundly rejected his claims of presidential immunity. On January 26, a New York jury determined that Trump has to pay E. Jean Carroll over $83 million for defaming her from the White House and elsewhere over the magazine writer’s claims he sexually assaulted her in a department store change room in the 1990s.
Trump was found liable in May 2023 of sexual abusing and defaming Carroll, The former Elle columnist was awarded $5 million in that matter. Trump’s attorneys have declared they plan to appeal the defamation verdict.
Retiring Utah Senator Mitt Romney today came out saying he will not “be voting for former President Trump” this year. “I must admit that I find sexual assault to be a line I will not cross in the people I select to be my president,” the constant Trump critic and GOP 2021 nominee added.
Trump himself has repeatedly said he will be spending more time in courtrooms this year than on the campaign trail.
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