© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump departs from Trump Tower to offer a deposition to New York Legal professional Common Letitia James who sued Trump and his Trump Group, in New York Metropolis, U.S., April 13, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Picture
2/2
By Karen Freifeld and Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) -A lawyer for Donald Trump on Friday accused New York Legal professional Common Letitia James of ignoring “all the pieces” as she pursues a civil lawsuit alleging that the previous president ran a scientific fraud at his household enterprise.
Christopher Kise, Trump’s lawyer, made the accusation at a listening to in a New York state courtroom, simply 10 days earlier than the scheduled Oct. 2 trial.
Justice Arthur Engoron is contemplating arguments by Trump, his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Group that the case ought to be thrown out as a result of there was no fraud, nobody was harmed, and the claims are too outdated.
James, in distinction, desires a ruling even earlier than the trial begins that the defendants are accountable for fraud.
Engoron plans to rule on Sept. 26 on either side’ motions, and urged that larger rules are at stake.
“We’re speaking about equity and honesty within the market,” he mentioned on the listening to, which lasted practically 5 hours. “The truth that no one was damage doesn’t suggest the case will get dismissed.”
James desires no less than $250 million in penalties, and to bar Trump and his grownup sons from operating companies in New York.
Trump holds a giant lead within the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, regardless of additionally dealing with 4 legal indictments the place he has pleaded not responsible.
He has denied all wrongdoing, and branded the circumstances a Democrat “witch hunt” in opposition to him.
THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
James accused Trump of mendacity in monetary statements between 2011 and 2021 to acquire higher phrases on loans and insurance coverage, defrauding banks and insurers.
She mentioned the lies included overvaluing properties together with his Mar-a-Lago membership in Florida and Trump Tower penthouse in Manhattan, and inflating his fortune by as a lot as $3.6 billion.
Kise mentioned the proof was not there, that James’ opposite statements didn’t make it so, and that valuation disputes have been immaterial.
“The inspiration of the case is to disregard all the pieces,” Kise mentioned. “The case comes all the way down to prosecuting the defendants for participating in profitable enterprise transactions.”
James maintains that Trump knew his valuations have been false.
This allegedly included valuing Mar-a-Lago at $739 million by pretending it was unrestricted property although Trump had given up rights to develop it apart from as a membership, and reporting that the penthouse was practically triple its precise measurement.
“In (the) defendants’ world, there is no goal reality,” mentioned Andrew Amer, a lawyer from James’ workplace. “Defendants have clearly stepped by way of the wanting glass.”
LAWSUIT AGAINST JUDGE
In June, a state appeals courtroom in Manhattan dismissed claims in opposition to Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and varied different claims predating July 2014 or February 2016 due to statutes of limitations.
The courtroom left it to Engoron to find out which components of the case might proceed. Engoron can even rule on James’ request to sanction the defendants for repeatedly elevating “frivolous” arguments he had already rejected.
At Friday’s listening to, the choose appeared dissatisfied when Kise urged that banks may not have relied on Trump’s valuations when making loans.
“You can not make false statements and use them in enterprise,” Engoron mentioned, banging his fist.
Final week, Trump sued Engoron, accusing him of taking too lengthy to slender the case.
The lawsuit sought to delay the trial, to permit the defendants to organize correctly after Engoron decides which claims the legal professional normal can pursue.
Protection legal professionals have additionally accused James of ignoring the June appeals courtroom determination.
The appeals courtroom is predicted to resolve subsequent week whether or not the trial ought to proceed as scheduled.
