Former President Donald Trump is furious — again — amid his reported struggles to secure the demanded bond in a New York fraud case originating with state Attorney General Letitia James. Including interest, the amount of the underlying penalties the bond is meant to cover soar past $450 million, and when including fees associated with obtaining a bond and demands from bond companies to use cash or cash equivalents as collateral, Trump’s looming financial demands get even steeper.
Specifically, the bond is required under current practice for staving off collections while Trump moves forward with appeals. And James already indicated she’s willing to pursue Trump’s assets — meaning, in part, his real estate holdings — to cover for his debts incurred in the course of her case alleging extensive financial misconduct.
On Tuesday, Trump was posting angrily about the developments in New York for hours, starting just before 6:30 a.m. “Engoron will not do what the Appellate Division has ordered him to do on Statute of Limitations,” Trump yelled online at one point, referring to the judge in James’ case. “This has never happened to the Appellate Division before. Remember, he is the judge that fraudulently valued Mar-a-Lago at $18,000,000, and who was already overturned 4 times on this case, a record!”
The ex-president is seemingly referring not to established fact regarding the judge’s handling of the case but instead just to the Trump team’s own arguments. Past news reporting chronicles how Trump and his team tried to argue that much of the case was effectively blocked by the relevant statutes of limitations, but the judge specified that he was allowing the state prosecutor’s specific legal claims to move forward, distinguishing that area from the evidence they presented.
“Engoron wants me to put up the ridiculous fine (I DID NOTHING WRONG!) before I get a chance to Appeal his crazed ruling – A first!” Trump added Tuesday. The demand for the bond in tandem with appeals is not, in fact, a “first.” It’s in line with established legal practice for this kind of case. But he kept repeating versions of the same claim. “I shouldn’t have to put up any money, being forced by the Corrupt Judge and AG, until the end of the appeal. That’s the way system works!” he said. That’s just not true. The relevant authorities didn’t make up the bond demand for the ex-president’s case.
