(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Donald Trump had a very bad day in court yesterday when New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engolon granted the New York Attorney General’s request to appoint an independent overseer of the Trump Organization. .
This is the day Trump has been desperately trying to avoid for the third year in a row. This is why he dragged his findings down to the point of being cited for contempt of court. This is why he forced former district attorney Cyrus Vance to go all the way to the Supreme Court and rule that no sitting president is exempt from the state process. This is why he spent years suing Attorney General Letitia James to secure his testimony. This is why he filed that ridiculous lawsuit in federal court and asked a U.S. District Court judge to order the state of New York to stop investigating him. That’s why he demanded this week that a Florida court step in and declare it illegal for the New York Attorney General to even own a copy of the Florida revocable trust that holds his assets, much less those. requested to instruct the disposal of Property under an order from the New York Court.
This is why he is currently insane on a junky knockoff Twitter site.
“The New York Attorney General’s puppet judge and others who are enemies of President Trump and the Republican Party have made a ruling that is unprecedented anywhere in America. Communism is coming to our shores,” he said last night. screamed at the “Corporations will flee New York, where they already exist, to other states and other countries. Doing the right thing and stopping this Inquisition is all the more important.We must fight back against radical tyranny and save our country!”
And by “radical tyranny,” he doesn’t mean to force him to file fraudulent financial statements, move all his assets out of New York State, or smash it to the Attorney General, as he has done for decades. It means an independent observer who doesn’t allow you to say or do anything. As his lawyer argued before Judge Engoron yesterday, it is neither ‘communism’ nor ‘nationalization’. As the court noted in yesterday’s order, this is the natural result of “continued and widespread fraud in the preparation and filing of Mr. Trump’s Annual Financial Condition Report (SFC),” and is subject to “many state laws. and violate criminal law.”
“New York City is the epicenter of global finance,” the court said, adding that “our executive, legislative, and judicial bodies have a duty to ensure that financial transactions take place.” As a result, prosecutors dismissed the argument that it should be limited to addressing specific injuries. It was done honestly, not dishonestly. ”
” dear A doctrine provides the basis for a state to bring a lawsuit against a defendant whose conduct affects, or may affect, the health and well-being of its citizens.” what not to do decades.
Therefore, at least Donald Trump Jr. endorsed the statements to Mazars without performing the due diligence necessary to ensure their accuracy or compliance with GAAP. [Generally Accepted Accounting Principals]raises serious questions about the credibility of future SFCs for which Donald Trump Jr. may be responsible. It is full of evidence that Trump Jr.’s statements are blatantly false.
The court had the right to draw negative inferences because Trump and his son Eric have exercised their Fifth Amendment rights hundreds of times. “[f]For example, when asked whether he knew that each SFC from 2011 to 2021 contained false and misleading ratings and statements, Trump claimed the right to self-incrimination. did.
“Here, the balance of equity, if not perfect, favors granting a preliminary injunction, especially to ensure that the defendant does not dissipate its assets or move them outside this jurisdiction. ’” wrote Judge Engoron. “In the absence of an injunction, and given the tendency of the defendants to engage in relentless fraud, the failure to grant such an injunction could be extremely prejudicial to the people of New York. There is ‘in this case. “
So, at the last minute, Hail Mary summoned a Florida judge to dib a revocable trust and threatened to beat Judge Engolon if he touched the assets in it. at most, failure. Perhaps it made things worse, not just because it was unnecessarily hostile to the New York courts.
As prosecutors noted in a letter to Judge Engolon that they had informed them of “significant and relevant developments,” the Florida clown suit said Trump was “noticing the structure of his business conglomerate and his business.” It means that you are clearly acknowledging that you are trying to conceal important documents that govern the ownership of Assets from review,” and “he is trying to keep assets out of the reach of this court.”
and in spite of whoever you are Chris Keith, Trump’s “regular” attorney, told The New York Times shock and regret A client of his complained that loudly. Requested three weeks ago.
Both parties have an independent observer (what about Judge Raymond Deary?) who has the right to see all Trump Organization documents that are currently barred from “selling, transferring, or otherwise disposing of.” You are invited to submit nominations for of assets other than cash … without first giving 14 days’ notice to the OAG and this court. They cannot move assets or file financial statements without the monitor’s approval.
In short, this was the catastrophe Trump has been trying to prevent for years. And, barring a miracle, nothing will be fun for the Trump family after this.
Liz Dye I live in Baltimore and write about law and politics.
