NY Attorney General Shuts Down Trump’s Request to Overturn Major Civil Fraud Ruling

New York Attorney General Letitia James has firmly rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s request to vacate a substantial civil fraud judgment against him. This verdict, amounting to nearly half a billion dollars, was issued earlier this year after a rigorous legal battle.

In a two-page letter made public on Tuesday, James emphasized that her office would not dismiss the judgment handed down by New York’s Supreme Court. Her response came after Dr. John Sauer, whom Trump appointed as the U.S. Solicitor General, conveyed Trump’s requests, asserting that overturning the judgment is crucial for national unity.

James countered Sauer’s claims, stating that no justification was provided for vacating the judgment. She highlighted that the ongoing civil litigation would not obstruct Trump’s duties as president, dismissing any association with his criminal charges as irrelevant to her case.

Trump celebrated his election victory, asserting that it would terminate several federal criminal cases against him, referring to a Department of Justice policy that protects sitting presidents from prosecution. He is also vying to have state charges dismissed, citing presidential immunity following a jury’s guilty verdict on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

However, James made it clear that the civil fraud case stands apart from these criminal matters. “This civil enforcement action is not a criminal action,” she reiterated in her correspondence. Trump’s team has yet to comment on her decision.

The judgment against Trump stemmed from a bench trial that exposed how he allegedly misled banks by inflating his net worth through inaccurate financial statements. Justice Arthur Engoron, who presided over the trial, found Trump’s actions egregious, describing the fraud as “leaping off the page” and shocking to the conscience.

Notably, the judgment includes a hefty financial penalty—approximately $355 million in disgorgement and nearly $100 million in interest. Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Jr., are also liable for $4 million each.

While temporary business bans were placed on Trump and his co-defendants, these have been temporarily stayed by the New York Appellate Division. Currently, the entire judgment is under appeal, with Trump’s attorneys challenging the validity of the accusations on grounds of statute limitations and arguing that his financial statements contained disclaimers advising banks to conduct their own due diligence before approving loans.

The First Department appellate court is anticipated to deliver a decision on these matters soon, marking a significant moment in this ongoing legal saga.