Thread: Legal Charges Against Trump

Begins in a few hours…….

Trump committed fraud by inflating wealth: NY judge

Judge revokes Trump’s NY business licenses, finds he committed fraud by inflating wealth

A Manhattan judge on Tuesday found Donald Trump committed fraud by exaggerating the value of his wealth — and canceled the former president’s New York business licenses, which could hamper his longtime company’s ability to operate in the Empire State.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron found Trump, 77, his family and his business, the Trump Organization, liable for fraud — the key claim in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ sprawling lawsuit against the defendants.

In a 35-page ruling, Engoron sided with James, who argued that Trump made several indisputably false statements in business documents to secure favorable terms with banks – including by claiming that his soaring triplex penthouse at Trump Tower was 30,000 square feet when it was in fact closer to 11,000 feet.

“A discrepancy of this order of magnitude, by a real estate developer sizing up his own living space of decades, can only be considered fraud,” Engoron wrote.

The judge revoked the New York “business certificates” belonging to the Trump Organization and any other New York-based business run by Trump or his family – while ordering that an independent third party will be tasked with “managing the dissolution of the cancelled LLCs.”

It means Trump could be stripped of control over some of his namesake properties — including Trump Tower in Midtown.

A non-jury trial is set to start Oct. 2 for Engoron to hear arguments on the other claims in the suit, before deciding on those allegations.

The lawsuit aims to force Trump to pay back to the state millions in penalties, halt Trump’s ability to run businesses in New York and bar him and his team from buying commercial property for several years.

James, in a statement, said she looks forward to presenting the rest of her case at trial.

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Little more from the Guardian

Trump real estate case: what to know before the fraud trial begins

How long will the trial last?

The judge has scheduled the trial to go until December 22, but because Engoron already issued a major pre-trial ruling, it will likely take much less time.

Today might bring new charges of contempt in court, obstruction, or public nuisance. Guess he is actually showing up and we know he can't control his ego!

Originally Posted by thailazer

Guess he is actually showing up and we know he can't control his ego!

He won't be able to keep his mouth shut while the prosecution is presenting its case, I'm betting on contempt.

Trump attends his New York civil trial after being found liable for fraud - live

Judge Arthur Engoron will determine damages in civil fraud trial

Donald Trump started off his day by attacking Arthur Engoron, the New York supreme court judge who will begin determining damages after finding last week that the former president and his family committed fraud.

As the Messenger reports, the first witness to take the stand in the damages phase of the trial is Trump’s former accountant: https://twitter.com/KlasfeldReports/...14108542648684

Harry Litman - It’s incredibly easy to ask for a jury trial. You just check a box on a form. Hard to believe that Trump understood that his lawyers hadn’t done it when he’s been savaging the judge who is now the factfinder in his huge fraud trial. https://twitter.com/harrylitman/stat...62304182550716

I like him……..

• Former federal judge rips Washington Post over 14th Amendment editorial

Former federal judge Michael Luttig ripped The Washington Post’s Monday op-ed against invoking the 14th Amendment to disqualify former President Trump from the 2024 election, calling it “perhaps the most journalistically incompetent and irresponsible” piece he has ever read on the U.S. Constitution.

Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War, includes a clause that states no person shall hold elected office who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States.”

Several experts, lawmakers and activists have argued this clause could disqualify Trump from the 2024 ballot for his alleged actions in connection to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Federal prosecutors have alleged the former president stood at the center of a campaign to block the certification of votes on Jan. 6.

Luttig took aim at the paper’s interpretation of the amendment.

“This editorial today by @washingtonpost is perhaps the most journalistically incompetent and irresponsible editorial on the Constitution of the United States and a question of constitutional law by a major national newspaper that I ever remember reading,” Luttig wrote Monday in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Luttig, a conservative appointed by former President George H.W. Bush who has repeatedly criticized Trump’s false election claims, claimed the op-ed titled “The 14th Amendment can’t save the country from Donald Trump” misquoted Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.

The provision has already been cited in two lawsuits in Minnesota and Colorado seeking to keep Trump off the ballot.

The Post’s op-ed addresses several points of uncertainty over the provision, writing that the answers “in most instances, aren’t terribly clear.”

Luttig was responding to the beginning of the piece, wherein the Post’s editorial board calls the case for invoking the 14th Amendment “intriguing,” but that “banking on an arcane paragraph to protect the country from a second Trump term would be foolish.”

“The editorial inauspiciously begins by ‘misquoting’ the Disqualification Clause of Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment itself, next dismissively pronouncing the argument for disqualification made by the nation’s foremost constitutional scholars as little more than intriguing and then admonishing the American public that ‘banking on an arcane paragraph to protect the country from a second Trump term would be foolish’ of them,” Luttig wrote in a later post on X.

Luttig also argued the Post does not actually explain why the American public should not be relying on the 14th Amendment.

“But it is probably because, as we see in the newspaper’s buried cynical lede in the concluding paragraph,” Luttig wrote. “The [Washington Post] fears the current Supreme Court will never interpret the Constitution to disqualify the former president, no matter what the Constitution says.”

Luttig was referencing the final paragraph of the op-ed that argued invoking the 14th Amendment would make its way to the Supreme Court, where the chance of Trump’s disqualification being affirmed “seem low,” and that the nation would be “better off” relying on votes to keep the former president out of the White House.

“One would at least expect that serious reasoning would have to follow in support of its warning that the American public’s resort to and reliance upon the Fourteenth Amendment would be ‘foolish,'” Luttig wrote. “Instead, what follows borders on, if it does not pass into, the silly and absurd.”

Luttig’s criticism follows an op-ed he co-wrote for The Atlantic in August where he encouraged the use of the 14th Amendment to keep Trump off the ballot.

Section 3 of the amendment has rarely been used since the period immediately following the Civil War and has never been used to disqualify a presidential candidate.

Trump has dismissed the argument, claiming it has “no legal basis or standing” in connection to the 2024 election.

The Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump fraud trial live updates: Former president returns to court for day 2 of arguments

Today is the second day of the New York attorney general’s $250 million civil fraud trial against former President Donald Trump, his company and two of his adult children.

What happens if he loses?

Fine
Prison
Put to sleep
Banged up with Ghislane Maxwell?

Those talks to the press sure make him look like a trite whiney phock. Oh wait, he is one.

^He’s campaigning during some of the breaks

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Accountant says Trump withheld records

Former Trump accountant Donald Bender testified that at one point he discovered that Trump and his company were withholding certain documents that should have been given to him as he compiled Trump's financial statements.

Judge scolds Trump for posting disparaging remarks about staffer

When court resumed at 3 p.m. ET, Engoron noted that earlier today, Trump made a social media post about his law clerk that was also emailed to millions of people.

Engoron said that he ordered the post to be taken down and that personal attacks on his staff were unacceptable and would not be tolerated. He noted that he had warned the parties about such attacks yesterday. He finished: “Consider this a gag order on all parties with respect to posting or publicly speaking about any member of my staff.”

He also said that violations of his order would lead to swift, meaningful sanctions.

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Judge in fraud trial imposes gag order after Trump attacks judge’s aide

Originally Posted by david44

What happens if he loses?

Fine
Prison
Put to sleep
Banged up with Ghislane Maxwell?

This one is a civil trial - so no jail - unless he ends up there through contempt of court.....Most probable is a whingingly big fine, and loss of ability to do business in NY...

Originally Posted by nidhogg

This one is a civil trial - so no jail - unless he ends up there through contempt of court.....Most probable is a whingingly big fine, and loss of ability to do business in NY...

He has already been found guilty by the judge. This trial now is the penalty phase, seems the minimum he can lose is 250 million dollars but could be much much more.

The way he's shooting off his massive gob, he seems determined to raise that fine...bigly.

^Quite like MTN, but cannot stand Ben Meiselas...

Trump’s New York fraud trial enters day three: live updates

• Judge scolds defense for dragging out questioning

Engoron scolded defense attorneys for dragging out their cross-examination of Trump’s ex-accountant by repeating the same questions.

• Trump more animated in court Wednesday

Trump has been more animated in court during the third day of his trial, frequently shaking his head or throwing his hands up while speaking to counsel.

• Trump targets James even after gag order

On Tuesday, the judge overseeing the case issued a gag order on Trump after a post on Truth Social that targeted the judge’s principal clerk while she sat just feet away from him in the courtroom.

That didn't stop Trump posting on Truth Social on Wednesday, just minuted before he entered the courtroom.

“Just arrived at the Witch Hunt Trial taking place in the very badly failing (so sadly!) State of New York, where people and companies are fleeing by the thousands. Corrupt Attorney General, Letitia James, is a big reason for this,” Trump wrote.

Second government witness takes the stand

• Camron Harris, an accountant with the firm that represented Trump and his business after Mazars USA cut ties, testified that “responsibility and accountability” fall with the client — not the accounting firm — for the accuracy of financial statements that a firm is hired to compile.

Prosecutors showed an engagement letter from Harris’s firm, Whitley Penn, which said that the firm is “not required to, and will not, verify the accuracy or completeness” of the financial information turned over by the Trump Organization.

“Our engagement cannot be relied upon to identify or disclose any misstatements, including those caused by fraud or error,” the letter read.

• James slammed Trump's attendance at the civil trial as a "political stunt."

"Mr. Trump is no longer here. The Donald Trump show is over. This was nothing more than a political stunt, a fundraising stop," she said outside the court.

He left the trial during a lunch break today to return to Mar-a-Lago, according to CNN. He didn't indicate when he'd be back in New York.

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• Judge Gives Trump Lawyers an Oct. 11 Deadline to Get Security Clearances in Jan. 6 Criminal Case

Afederal judge on Tuesday gave former President Donald Trump's defense lawyers a deadline of Oct. 11 to finish getting their security clearances approved in the 2020 election interference case amid complaints from special counsel Jack Smith's team that the former president's team is trying to delay the start of next spring's Washington, D.C., trial.

U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a one-paragraph "minute order" instructing the Trump attorneys — John Lauro and Gregory Singer — to "initiate and complete all security clearance tasks" spelled out by the Justice Department's Litigation Security Group.

Chutkan, who is overseeing the case and has scheduled a March 4, 2024, trial, said they must file a notice of compliance with the court by the middle of next week. They also must tell the court by then whether there are other defense lawyers "whose assistance is reasonably required" who also will need a security clearance.

Trump faces four federal felony charges in the case alleging he obstructed the 2020 presidential election through a series of events including the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The former president has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

How much classified information is really in play in the Trump case in Washington, D.C, remains a source of contention.

Smith's team on Monday told Chutkan that it would be "narrow and incidental" to the overall trial, remarks that came in response to Trump's lawyers recently filing a pair of motions seeking more time to debate the classified information and to file their own pretrial motions.

The special counsel's office added in its Monday filing that the Trump lawyers' latest filings were really done "for the purpose of delaying trial."

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In other news

Trump Tower penthouse comes under scrutiny at New York fraud trial: recap

Former President Trump’s New York fraud trial wrapped up its fourth day Thursday.

• The day began with the continued cross-examination of a former accountant, which Trump’s defense had team dragged on since Monday until the judge imposed a time limit.

The first defendant in the case then took the stand before the day ended with details from the attorney general’s office about the reported inflated value of the former president’s Trump Tower penthouse — located in the same 5th Avenue building where he filmed “The Apprentice.”

• The valuation of Trump’s triplex apartment — which prosecutors say he massively over valuated — is expected to arise during his appeal of Judge Arthur Engoron’s summary judgment ruling made before the trial began.

Engoron reached the same conclusion as prosecutors in his ruling, writing that New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) “unquestionably satisfied” her burden to prove Trump’s property valuation was inflated.

• Andrew Amer, an attorney with the attorney general’s office, showed statements of financial condition that showed the value of the triplex jumped from $80 million in 2011 to $327 million in 2015.

Amer indicated that from 2012 to 2016 Trump submitted statements of financial condition falsely claiming the triplex was 30,000 square feet – when it was really just under 11,000 square feet. The result was an overvaluation of between $114 million to $207 million.

• Jeffrey McConney testified Thursday that the buck stops at Trump regarding the accuracy of the Trump Organization’s financial records.

Andrew Amer, a prosecutor with the New York attorney general’s office, asked McConney pointedly whether passing along accurate financial records to Mazars USA was a responsibility that fell “squarely on Trump’s shoulders.”

“Yes,” McConney replied.

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• Trump given seven days to submit list of firms that will lose New York business licenses

Donald Trump has seven days to give to a state court a list of companies that will lose their New York business licenses after a judge ruled last week that he had committed financial fraud.

On Thursday, New York judge Arthur Engoron issued an order that will carry out Trump’s punishment for a pre-trial ruling he made that found Trump and others within the Trump Organization created false and misleading financial statement that inflated his net worth.

Engoron ruled that the former US president will lose his business certificates in the state, essentially limiting his ability to run his real estate company. The list of companies will be given to retired federal judge Barbara Jones, currently the court-appointed monitor overseeing the Trump Organization.

It emerged on the fourth day of the trial that Engoron is now giving Trump’s lawyers until 26 October to submit a list of names of potential receivers. The receiver will oversee the dissolution of the companies’ business licenses.

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His actions were part of his official duties as president, his lawyers claim in a new court filing.

• Trump says he’s ‘immune’ from prosecution for attempts to reverse 2020 election results

Donald Trump’s months-long efforts to reverse his defeat in the 2020 election were “within the heartland” of his “official duties,” his lawyers claimed Thursday in a bid to get his federal criminal case in Washington, D.C., thrown out.

Defense attorneys John Lauro and Todd Blanche say special counsel Jack Smith’s case against the former president is an attempt to criminalize actions that were well within his White House duties, such as enforcing federal election laws. As a result, they said, the charges against Trump — accusing him of conspiracies to obstruct the election process and defraud the public — must be dismissed.

“The Constitution, the Supreme Court, and hundreds of years of history and tradition all make clear, the President’s motivations are not for the prosecution or this Court to decide,” Lauro and Blanche write. “Rather, where, as here, the President’s actions are within the ambit of his office, he is absolutely immune from prosecution.”

The 52-page filing came as Trump also sought the dismissal of his criminal indictment in New York on charges stemming from hush money payments to a porn star.

Originally Posted by Topper

So trump said he'd be at one trial in person next week so he could skip a deposition in another trial. I wonder what Cohen is going to file when trump doesn't show or only makes a token appearance.

• Trump voluntarily dismisses lawsuit against Michael Cohen

Former President Trump filed to voluntarily dismiss his lawsuit against Michael Cohen on Thursday evening, court documents show.

The sudden twist comes just days before Trump was set to sit for a deposition in the case.

Trump sued Cohen, his longtime attorney and fixer, in April for $500 million over accusations that Cohen maliciously worked to acquire attention and wealth at Trump’s expense, in particular taking aim at his book, podcast and many media appearances.

“Trump didn’t want no smoke,” Benjamin Brodsky, Cohen’s attorney, told The Hill.

The lawsuit came just days after Trump was indicted in New York on 34 criminal counts over reimbursements he made to Cohen for a 2016 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Trump pleaded not guilty.

Cohen is expected to be a key witness in the prosecutors’ case, which is set to go to trial in late March. Trump this week filed a motion to dismiss the charges, and he also faces three other criminal indictments.

It's a witchhunt, man

Originally Posted by S Landreth

Cohen is expected to be a key witness in the prosecutors’ case

Wouldn't the defense smash his credibility ?