New York Attorney General Letitia James, who campaigned on the promise of holding former President Donald Trump accountable, has been publicly discussing the $354.8 million penalty imposed on him ever since her victory in court two weeks ago.
Trump intends to challenge the ruling in the civil fraud lawsuit, alleging that he misrepresented his net worth to secure advantageous bank loans, which he eventually repaid. Nevertheless, Trump is required to settle the $354.8 million fine mandated by Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron prior to pursuing an appeal. Additionally, he is facing accruing interest that could amount to $100 million.
NY AG Letitia James, who ran for office promising to bring down Donald Trump, is now taunting the former president by posting on X each day's additional interest in the massive judgment she won against him. Could be premature, given Trump appeal, but she seems to be enjoying it. pic.twitter.com/GrIfSxzudU
— Byron York (@ByronYork) February 27, 2024
In a recent interview with ABC News, James expressed her readiness to take control of former President Donald Trump’s assets in the event that he fails to secure enough funds to settle the imposed fine. She stated, “Should he lack the necessary funds to satisfy the judgment, we will pursue legal avenues for judgment enforcement and request the court to seize his assets.”
When questioned about Trump’s defense, which claims that all loans were repaid to the banks and that there were no victims involved in the case, James skillfully evaded addressing the question.
“He engaged in this massive amount of fraud. It wasn’t just a simple mistake, a slight oversight, the variations are wildly exaggerated, and the extent of the fraud was staggering,” she argued. She then raised a hypothetical situation, saying, “If average New Yorkers went into a bank and submitted false documents, the government would throw the book at them, and the same should be true for former presidents.”
“We are prepared to make sure that the judgment is paid to New Yorkers, and yes, I look at 40 Wall Street each and every day,” she said.