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A New York appeals court signaled on Tuesday that it was unlikely to grant Donald Trump’s request to dismiss state Attorney General Letitia James’ civil lawsuit.
The lawsuit accuses Trump’s family business, three of his children, and himself of committing fraud by lying to lenders and insurers from 2011 to 2021. James, who’s seeking at least $250 million in damages, also wants to prevent the Trumps from running businesses in New York.
Trump’s lawyer, Christopher Kise, argued that James sued too late and lacked broad authority to police the range of transactions that the parties thought were legitimate. However, some judges disagreed and suggested that James had a role.
They also implied that the scheduled Oct. 2 trial might determine if fraud occurred. Similarly, the appeals court appeared receptive to arguments that James may have sued Ivanka Trump too late.
The lawsuit against her is separate from the 34-count criminal indictment brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The indictment accuses Trump of making hush money payments to a porn star, which Trump has denied.
It’s important to note that the lawsuit against Trump does not involve his 2024 presidential campaign. He’s currently the Republican front-runner. The businessman previously referred to the investigations conducted by James and Bragg, both Democrats, as a ‘witch hunt.’
The appeals court refrained from announcing when it would release its decision. The case being discussed is known as New York v. Trump et al, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 1st Department, No. 2023-00717.
The allegations made by James are extremely serious. They assert that Trump and his family business conspired to defraud lenders and insurers for an entire decade. This resulted in lenders and insurers being claiming to be deceived about Trump’s own net worth and the Trump Organization’s asset values. This led to James’s subsequent legal action seeking substantial damages.
It’s important to note that the potential of this lawsuit extends beyond damages. James is also seeking to prevent the Trumps from continuing to operate businesses in New York. This is something that could have a significant impact on the family’s business operations. Therefore, the trial’s potential impact goes beyond its financial ramifications.
Whether the appeals court decides to dismiss the lawsuit or not will have significant implications. If the lawsuit proceeds, the Trumps will face a trial where the judge could decide if the transactions were legitimate or fraud. As a result, this case could limit the Trump Organization’s future business opportunities and future financial gains.
Christopher Kise, one of Trump’s lawyers, argued that James sued too late and lacked broad authority to police the parties’ transactions. However, some judges implied that the scheduled Oct. 2 trial might determine if fraud occurred or not. Trump, for his part, has denied the allegations. He has also called James and Bragg’s investigations ‘witch hunts.’
The honest participants of real estate, insurance, and banking markets ultimately end up paying the price when fraud and dishonesty occur. James is trying to prevent that from happening in this case by holding the Trumps accountable.
Whether she’ll succeed remains to be seen, but the fact that the appeals court is not dismissing the lawsuit outright suggests that there’s more to this case than meets the eye.
Ivanka Trump’s lawyer Bennet Moskowitz argued that James may have sued her too late. The appeals court appeared more receptive to Moskowitz’s arguments about Ivanka.
The fact that James’ case against Ivanka is separate from the criminal indictment against Trump suggests that there’s more than one issue under consideration. It’s possible that the Trumps could face repercussions if James’ case against them is successful.
The implications of this lawsuit go beyond the family’s business interests. As previously mentioned, Trump is currently the Republican front-runner for the 2024 presidential election. If this lawsuit ends up impacting his campaign, then it could have significant ramifications for the entire Republican Party.
While James’ lawsuit may seem like a political attack on Trump, the allegations she’s making are serious and shouldn’t be taken lightly. It has alleged that the Trumps conspired to commit that crime for a decade. James’ lawsuit might be politically motivated and hopefully will be nothing more then a witch hunt.
In conclusion, the lawsuit brought by Letitia James against the Trump Organization and the Trump children is a significant case. The judge’s decision could impact the Trumps’ future business operations and limit their financial gains. .