Staff Reports
In a bold move reminiscent of the classic underdog story, President-elect Donald Trump has reached out to New York Attorney General Letitia James, urging her to drop her extravagant $500 million civil fraud case against him, his family, and his vast empire of businesses. Trump’s team is framing this as a patriotic gesture aimed at curing the rampant partisan divisions plaguing the nation post-election—not your average day at the office for a former president.
D. John Sauer, an appellate attorney who has been enlisted as Trump’s Solicitor General, penned a letter to James that essentially calls for unity, likening the current political climate to that of bygone eras. Sauer dredged up the spirit of President Abraham Lincoln, who during the Civil War urged the nation to set aside its differences. One might say that while Lincoln was trying to keep the country together, Trump is trying to keep his bank account from becoming a charity case for New York’s legal system.
The civil fraud case itself is the handiwork of AG James, who has made it her mission to scrutinize Trump’s dealings since 2022. Allegations suggest that Trump inflated his asset values to get a sweeter deal on taxes and insurance. A New York judge has already found him and his businesses liable for over half a billion dollars, a staggering figure that seems to overflow from a classic overreach of government. Yet, in typical Trump fashion, he remains steadfast, maintaining that it’s not his properties but rather the valuations that are off the mark, and that all his financial dealings have been perfectly above board.
Sauer was quick to point out that the lawsuit presents no clear victims or harm, as every loan and insurance payment purportedly came in on time—or even early. He described the lawsuit as nothing more than a personal vendetta against a businessman who dared to “rebuild the New York skyline” and create thousands of jobs. The irony, of course, is rich; it’s as if the attorney general were wielding her gavel like a sword of Damocles over anyone who dares to succeed in the Big Apple.
Trump seeks dismissal of $500 million New York fraud case – Washington Examiner https://t.co/xo5c5KIvXg
— Ron Brady (@Romeobravo30) November 28, 2024
With recent legal victories under his belt, including the dismissal of multiple federal cases against him, Trump appears to be riding a wave of momentum. Sauer’s letter argued that this civil case only exacerbates the partisan division in the country, and he put forth the suggestion that it should be treated like some of the more recent victories—scrapped or significantly downgraded. James has, predictably, been tight-lipped on this request but has made her stance clear in the past: her office would keep fighting against “injustice,” whatever that may mean in her book.
Now, with a hefty appeal bond of $175 million already posted, Trump is prepared to take this fight as far as necessary, including the U.S. Supreme Court, should it come to that. The legal wranglings between Trump and James echo a game of chess where both sides are arguing over who truly holds the winning hand. Yet, the only clear victor remains Trump, who takes another step in his relentless journey through the labyrinth of political and legal battles in America today.
