Donald Trump’s lawyers on Monday filed an appeal against his $450 million New York civil fraud judgment.
The filing argues that Manhattan Judge Arthur Engoron made serious errors when finding in February that the former president, his company, and leading executives—including sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump—for years lied to banks and insurers about Trump’s finances to get better deals on loans.
In their appeal against the “egregious” ruling, Trump’s lawyers argued the lawsuit brought by New York state Attorney General Letitia James included some allegations that shouldn’t have been brought due to the statute of limitations. They also said there were “no victims and no losses” as a result of the alleged fraud and that the judgment awarded by Engoron was disproportionate.
ADVERTISEMENT
If the decision is upheld, the appeal alleged, it would give James “limitless power to target anyone she desires, including her self-described political opponents.”
James’ office said in a statement that the defendants were resurrecting old arguments that had already been decided for the prosecution. “We won this case based on the facts and the law, and we are confident we will prevail on appeal,” the statement read, according to The New York Times.
Christopher Kise, a lawyer for Trump, conversely claimed the Republican nominee is “a visionary and iconic real estate titan who has been baselessly pursued and persecuted,” by James. “Such an outrageous miscarriage of justice is profoundly un-American,” he told the Times in a statement. “And a complete reversal is the only means available to restore public confidence.”
The appeals court scheduled oral arguments in the case for September. It’s unclear if a ruling will arrive before the November election. The case has nevertheless threatened to pose a serious problem for Trump during his campaign, saying in court filings he doesn’t have the cash demanded by the judgment.
In April, Trump posted a $175 million bond to prevent collection of the judgment and stop James’ office seizing his assets during his appeal. Engoron’s ruling orders Trump to pay $355 million in penalties plus interest, putting Trump on the hook for over $450 million in total—a figure that continues to increase until he pays.
The appeal came a week after a federal judge in Florida dismissed Trump’s classified documents case on the grounds that special counsel Jack Smith, who brought the charges, was appointed unconstitutionally. Smith is appealing that decision.
The decision to dismiss the documents case—a major win for Trump in his legal battles—followed another victory for the MAGA leader this month. On July 1, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with him by ruling that former presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for official acts taken in office.
The high court’s decision led to Trump’s sentencing in his criminal hush money case being delayed until September. It also put Smith’s other indictment against Trump on election subversion charges in jeopardy, almost certainly ensuring that it will not go to trial before the election.
