'Miscarriage of justice': Outrage as New York AG Letitia James takes steps to seize Donald Trump's assets in $464M verdict

WESTCHESTER, NEW YORK: New York Attorney General Letitia James has taken the first steps towards seizing former President Donald Trump's properties as part of the $464 million penalty judgment in a civil fraud trial, ABC News reported.

She filed judgments in New York's Westchester County clerk's office, aiming to seize Trump National Golf Course in Briarcliff Manor and Seven Springs, a private estate in Bedford, in the event of the ex-president failing to secure the bond by the March 25 deadline.

According to The Hill, James filed the judgment in the clerk's office on March 6, a little over a week after Judge Arthur Engoron formally entered the judgment.

Trump's attorney informed the court this week that the former president had "insurmountable difficulties" in securing the massive bond amount and requested the appeals court's permission to post a smaller bond amount or nothing at all.

If Trump fails to secure the bond or pay the full amount by March 25, James could start the legal procedures to seize his bank accounts and physical properties in Manhattan and Westchester.

Trump's lawyers repeat securing bond is impossible

In a letter sent to New York's Appellate Division on Thursday, March 21, Trump's attorney reiterated the claim that securing a $464 million bond would be impossible.

The GOP presumptive nominee's lawyer, Clifford Robert, said New York AG's suggestion that Trump should collect multiple smaller bonds or give his properties to the court was "illogical," "unconstitutional," "impractical," and "unjust."

"Perhaps worst of all, the Attorney General argues that Defendants should be forced to dispose of iconic, multi-billion-dollar real-estate holdings in a 'fire sale,'" the attorney wrote.

"As explained in Defendants' Affirmations, those separate bonds would still require a total collateralization of cash or cash equivalents in excess of $557 million, regardless of how many sureties were involved," Roberts wrote, referring to collecting smaller bonds.

Regarding the possibility of selling Trump's properties, the lawyer wrote, "It would be completely illogical, and the definition of an unconstitutional Excessive Fine and a Taking, to require Defendants to sell properties at all, and especially in a 'fire sale,' in order to be able to appeal the lawless Supreme Court judgment, as that would cause harm that cannot be repaired once the Defendants do win, as is overwhelmingly likely, on appeal."

In February, Judge Engoron ordered Trump, along with his sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, to pay the whopping $464 million verdict in the civil fraud case along with pre-judgment interest for illegally inflating the prices of their properties in New York for decades to secure tax benefits and favorable insurances.

Recently, the former president claimed that he might have to sell his properties for "fire sale prices" to secure the bond amount after almost 30 insurance companies refused to cover the penalty.

Internet sparks fury

Netizens voiced their anger towards NY AG James' move to start seizing Trump's properties ahead of the looming deadline to post a bond.

One user wrote, "This is a miscarriage of justice."

"That without a doubt will be the end of NY," another person remarked.

A third user added, "For one you’re not supposed to touch the property until the 25th so right now you are walking on private property."

"Where is the United States Supreme Court this is ridiculous," an outraged individual asked. And another argued, "Truly, NO JUSTICE."

Someone else lashed out at James, writing, "That is one evil woman," and another added, "She is disgusting."

 

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