New York Attorney General Letitia James told President-elect Donald Trump she will not toss the civil fraud judgment against him.
Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump to pay $454 million in fines after finding he overstated the values of his assets, which is typical.
Trump has appealed the judgment. But after demolishing VP Kamala Harris in November, he asked James to drop the case.
“Your letter presents no basis for this Office to seek to vacate the final judgment or to dismiss this action,” wrote Judith Vale, the deputy solicitor general.
Vale added:
First, Mr. Trump’s upcoming inauguration as the next President of the United States has no bearing on the pendency of defendants’ appeal in this action. This civil enforcement action is not a criminal action, and Supreme Court did not impose any criminal sanction on Mr. Trump or any other defendant. Accordingly, the various actions taken by the Special Counsel’s office or the District Attorney’s Office of New York County in the respective criminal cases brought by those offices against Mr. Trump are irrelevant here.
Vale said Trump does not have immunity in this case because the “judgment concerns only business conduct undertaken by entities that are part of the Trump Organization and individual defendants who were acting on behalf of the Trump Organization.”
“The judgment thus does not concern any conduct related to Mr. Trump’s first term as President,” added Vale. “Nor does it implicate any conduct that Mr. Trump might undertake after his upcoming inauguration. Presidents do not have immunity from civil lawsuits arising from unofficial conduct, and such lawsuits may proceed while the President is in office.”
The New York appeals court heard opening arguments in September. Elizabeth wrote about the hearing, offering many details from the exchanges. The justices aimed most of their questions at Vale.
The justices also did not say when the court would make a decision. Forbes said it would likely happen after the election.
If the justices rule against Trump he can appeal the case to New York’s highest appellate court.
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