Donald Trump has lashed out at New York Attorney General Letitia James after the former president's lawyers said he is unable to secure a bond to appeal the $454 million penalty handed down to him and two of his children in the civil fraud case.
In a statement, Trump accused the prosecutor who brought forward the case where the former president was ruled to have filed financial statements which inflated the value of his properties and assets for years of carrying out an "unlawful witch hunt" against him.
Trump also hit out at Judge Arthur Engoron, who ordered that the former president pay a $355 million fine, which increased to $454 million with interest, after ruling that Trump had fraudulently inflated the value of his properties in financial statements, including his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and his triplex apartment in Manhattan's Trump Tower.
On Monday, lawyers for Trump said that the Republican was unable to secure a $464 million cash bond—which includes the payment also required by his two sons Donald Jr. and Eric—in order to appeal the decision after being rejected by about 30 bond companies. If Trump does not pay the penalty or cash bond by March 25, the former president is at risk of having his assets seized.
"A bond of the size set by the Democrat Club-controlled Judge, in Corrupt, Racist Letitia James' unlawful Witch Hunt, is unConstitutional, un-American, unprecedented, and practically impossible for ANY Company, including one as successful as mine. The Bonding Companies have never heard of such a bond, of this size, before, nor do they have the ability to post such a bond, even if they wanted to," Trump wrote in a statement.
The presumptive 2024 Republican presidential candidate suggested he was the victim of political persecution. Trump added that his real estate company helped "rebuild" New York City and that "maniac" prosecutors are trying to "wrongfully and illegally" take his property empire away from him.
"The statute used to attack me has never been used for such a purpose before—No Jury allowed, ridiculous $18 Million Value for Mar-a-Lago, the Judge ignored the Statute of Limitations Decision by the Appellate Court, Ironclad Disclaimer Clauses, No Damages, No Victims – A Disgraceful 'Case!' This Sham is forcing companies and people to flee New York, and stopping companies from entering—If they did, they would be crazy, because they don't need the Communist China, or old Soviet Union, model of business to interfere with their Prosperity and Success.
"If I wasn't running for President of the United States, and leading by a lot, this kind of Witch Hunt would never have happened," Trump added.
James' office has been contacted for comment via email.
In its court filings on Monday, Trump's legal team described the task of securing the cash bond needed to appeal as a "practical impossibility."
"These diligent efforts have included approaching about 30 surety companies through 4 separate brokers," Trump's lawyers said.
They also hit out at the size of the bond which Trump must personally pay, suggesting the amount is "rarely, if ever, seen" in other cases.
"In the unusual circumstance that a bond of this size is issued, it is provided to the largest public companies in the world, not to individuals or privately held businesses," they wrote.
Trump's lawyers previously submitted a request to a New York court that the former president pay a $100 million bond to appeal the decision.
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Ewan Palmer is a Newsweek News Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on US politics, domestic policy ... Read more
