Trump lawyers urge NY court to toss fraud judgment, accuse AG Letitia James of targeting family
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump’s lawyers on Wednesday, August 26, asked New York’s highest court to overturn the liability finding in the state’s civil fraud case against him, arguing that the case should never have been brought.
The filing challenges New York Attorney General Letitia James’ authority to pursue the case and argues that the penalties imposed against Trump were excessive and unlawful.
The president’s lawyers also pointed to James’ public comments about Trump and his family as evidence of what they described as political targeting.
Trump lawyers challenge New York fraud ruling
James sued President Trump in 2022, alleging that he repeatedly overvalued his properties in New York to secure favorable loan and insurance terms.
Trump was found liable in 2023 and was ordered to pay $355 million plus interest in damages.
He was also banned from serving as an officer or director of any New York company for two years and from obtaining loans from any banks in the city for three years.
Although an intermediate appeals court later vacated the monetary award, Trump’s lawyers have argued that the underlying liability finding and the remaining restrictions should also be overturned.
“This case should have never been brought, and the judgment cannot stand,” the appeal states.
“This case is extremely unusual; it involves not only reams of improper statements targeting President Trump, his family, and his businesses, but also a decision to apply (New York law) against those targets in a completely unprecedented and unlawful way.”
The filing argues that James lacked the authority to bring the case because it involved private commercial transactions rather than harm to the public.
Trump’s lawyers also dispute the premise that the property valuations amounted to fraudulent misrepresentations, arguing that real estate values involve subjective estimates and that the banks involved had independently evaluated the transactions.
“The only supposed 'victims' here are a handful of ultra-sophisticated banks and insurers that have never claimed to be injured, were eager to do business with President Trump and his family, and made over $100 million from these transactions,” the appeal states.
Trump lawyers accuse Letitia James of political targeting
Trump’s lawyers also argue that the case relied on a “broad” interpretation of New York law that could allow the attorney general to “second-guess” any ordinary business transactions.
“Under that breathtakingly broad theory, NYAG can second-guess any business transaction in this State on almost any imagined grounds,” the filing states.
The appeal also challenges the $450 million disgorgement award, calling it excessive, unlawful and even unconstitutional. Finally, the appeal argues that the politically charged nature of the case should have prevented it from proceeding.
“Ms James repeatedly called President Trump a 'criminal'; promised to 'investigate President Trump and his business transactions,' 'review Trump-related real estate transactions,' and 'take on his business in New York'; and threatened President Trump's 'family' and 'anyone in his orbit," the document states.
