In a significant turn of events, a New York appeals court has overturned the $454 million civil fraud judgment against President Donald Trump, his family members, and his business, the Trump Organization.
This ruling has effectively dismissed the hefty financial penalty that had been previously imposed on the President and his associates.
According to The Post Millennial, the NY Appellate Division First Department found that while the "injunctive relief" ordered by the judge in the case was "well crafted to curb defendants business culture" at the Trump Organization, the large monetary penalty was deemed excessive.
The court stated, which directs that defendants pay nearly half a billion dollars to the State of New York, is an excessive fine that violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Despite this, the court upheld the New York Supreme Court and Attorney General Letitia James' decision that the defendants were indeed liable. The court agreed that "the Attorney General acted well within her lawful power in bringing this action, and that she vindicated a public interest in doing so."
The court also noted that "while harm certainly occurred, it was not the cataclysmic harm that can justify a nearly half billion-dollar award to the State."
Alina Habba, Trump's former personal attorney who represented him in the case, hailed the ruling as a "resounding victory." She stated, "Today's ruling by the New York appeals court is a resounding victory for President Trump and his company.
The court struck down the outrageous and unlawful $464 million penalty, confirming what we have said from the beginning: the Attorney General's case was politically motivated, legally baseless, and grossly excessive."
The initial order for Trump to pay $354 million was issued in 2024 by Judge Arthur Engoron, who found Trump, his sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, and his business liable for fraud. An additional $100 million in interest had accrued on that total when Engoron issued his ruling in February of 2024. A further $10 million, bringing the total to $464 million, was related to other defendants.
Trump, known for his outspoken nature, celebrated the court victory with characteristic fervor. He wrote, "TOTAL VICTORY in the FAKE New York State Attorney General Letitia James Case! I greatly respect the fact that the Court had the Courage to throw out this unlawful and disgraceful Decision that was hurting Business all throughout New York State.
Others were afraid to do business there. The amount, including Interest and Penalties, was over $550 Million Dollars. It was a Political Witch Hunt, in a business sense, the likes of which no one has ever seen before."
He further criticized the case as a form of "Election Interference by the City and State trying to show, illegally, that I did things that were wrong when, in fact, everything I did was absolutely CORRECT and, even, PERFECT."
Trump also took aim at Judge Engoron and Attorney General James, labeling them as "corrupt" and "incompetent" respectively.
This development is part of an ongoing saga involving the President and his business dealings. As the dust settles on this latest ruling, it remains to be seen how this will impact Trump's business and political future.
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