Lawyers for Donald Trump have appealed a civil fraud judgment that found him and his company liable for business fraud in February. The appeal, filed in the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division, accuses State Attorney General Letitia James of overstepping her authority and argues that certain loans cited by prosecutors should not have been considered in the case. The judgment ordered Trump and his company to pay a $354 million penalty, which continues to accrue interest and included restrictions on Trump and his sons from running businesses in New York.
The lawsuit alleged that Trump and his company lied on financial statements by inflating asset values to make more money. Trump’s lawyers argue that these were private transactions that were all repaid on time and in full, and that some of the loan transactions should not have been allowed in the case due to the statute of limitations.
Trump has criticized the case and insisted he did nothing wrong, while James has stated that he cheated the system by engaging in deceptive business practices and fraud. The appeal seeks to reverse the trial court’s decisions and penalties, arguing that the judge ignored facts and appellate rulings. Trump’s lawyers did not invoke a previous Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity in this appeal.
Overall, the appeal highlights the ongoing legal battle between Trump and the state of New York over allegations of business fraud, with both sides presenting their arguments in court.
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