As of: February 20, 2024, 12:55 p.m
By: Nail Akkoyun
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Donald Trump was fined $355 million.
Now he plans to appeal - despite an enormous bail amount.
New York City – In mid-February, Donald Trump was sentenced to pay a fine of $355 million in a trial over his inflated assets and loan fraud.
The ex-president criticized the verdict, spoke of a “witch hunt” against himself and his presidential campaign and now wants to appeal.
The problem: this requires a deposit of almost $400 million - a sum that Trump is apparently willing to pay.
During an appearance on
Fox News
, Trump's lawyer Alina Habba said they were ready to take this step.
“The full amount and then some, and we will be ready to do that,” she told host Martha MacCallum.
Habba further explained that the bail must be posted within 30 days of the verdict.
The Republican and his legal team would have until March 17 to file an appeal.
Trump wants to appeal the verdict: “He just happens to have a lot of money”
They're trying to force Trump out of business, but "that won't work, first of all.
Secondly, what they are doing is an intimidation tactic.
Unfortunately, I think they picked the wrong guy because he's strong, he's resilient and he happens to have a lot of money," Habba added.
Chris Kise, Trump's lead attorney in the fraud trial, also questioned the verdict to
Newsweek
: "The case raises serious legal and constitutional questions regarding 'fraud' claims/findings without actual fraud." Exactly when an appeal will be filed depends on the decision depends on “many factors”, but the judgment will be appealed within the deadline.
Former President Donald Trump and his lawyer Alina Habba on the third day of the civil fraud trial in New York City.
The photo was taken on October 4, 2023. © Angela Weiss/AFP
Conspiracy theories à la Donald Trump: “Biden and all his friends in the Deep State”
Meanwhile, on X (formerly Twitter), New York Attorney General Letitia James praised Judge Arthur Engoron's ruling.
“No matter how tall, how rich or how powerful you are, no one is above the law.
Not even Donald Trump,” the lawyer wrote in a post that has since been deleted.
In September 2022, after years of investigation, James himself filed a civil lawsuit against Trump and his three children Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka for financial fraud.
The ex-president then defamed the African-American woman as a “racist” and claimed that the trial against him and his Trump Organization was politically motivated and infiltrated by Democrats.
Trump's lawyer, speaking to
Fox News,
also called on the "left-wing" prosecutor to "show her that no one is above the law, while we have Hunter Biden, Joe Biden and all his friends up in DC in the Deep State who are not were touched.”
Behind the term “Deep State” is the conspiracy theory that secret powers are pulling the strings in the background of political decisions.
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Trump is “the only person who hasn’t done anything wrong”
“The only person who is not above the law, the only person who has done nothing wrong but is still being pursued and prosecuted is President Trump because they cannot beat him in November,” Alina Habba stated – and leaned completely into Trump's narrative.
Trump's lead lawyer, Kise, meanwhile, accused the New York attorney general and Judge Engoron of wanting to expel Trump from New York, saying it would be "bad" for the city.
Expert sees a way out for Trump in the fraud process - although not an easy one
Professor Greg Germain of Syracuse University of Law told the US portal
Newsweek
that Trump's team must show in the appeal that the New York attorney general's office does not have the authority to punish him "without proving the traditional elements of fraud."
To do this, the following six elements would have to be proven:
Scientism – essentially the intent to deceive
False statements of fact and not just opinions or promotions
Reasonable trust from victims
materiality
causality
Damages
If it were decided that Attorney General James would have to prove these elements not only in relation to the future use of funds, but also to the past use, Trump would have a good chance, according to Germain.
However, it is uncertain whether there would ultimately be an acquittal or a new trial.
First, Trump's team has until mid-March to officially file an appeal.
(nak)