There were claims that the trial judge was erroneously refusing to throw out most of the case against Donald Trump in his ongoing civil fraud trial, but the New York appeals court has now ruled against postponing the trial.
Justice David Friedman’s decision to delay the trial until the Appellate Division could review Trump’s request to do so was removed on September 14 after the five-judge panel of the Appellate Division refused Trump’s application to postpone the trial. A state judge, Arthur Engoron, had already concluded that Trump and his family firm had repeatedly and illegally inflated his assets and net worth to secure more favorable loan and insurance terms, and the panel’s decision came two days after that ruling.
In September 2022, state Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Trump, his adult sons, the Trump Organization, and others, alleging “staggering fraud” in the manner in which the properties in question were valued. James wants at least $250 million in penalties, a ban on Trump, Donald Jr., and Eric from operating businesses in New York, and a five-year prohibition on Trump and the Trump Organization from engaging in commercial real estate.
Trump is already facing four criminal indictments, including one for attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election, but this case has nothing to do with any of those. In his bid to retake the White House, Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and painted the lawsuit against him as part of a politically driven, Democratic witch hunt.
The state’s attorney’s office and the defense team have revealed lengthy lists of potential witnesses. Potential witnesses include Trump, his kids (now adults), former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg, current Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney, Cohen, and Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump.
As he passed her during a lunchtime break at his trial, Trump glared at James; she left smiling, self-satisfied.
