Putting down former US President Donald Trump’s accusations against the trial judge, a New York appeals court, on Thursday, refused to delay Donald Trump’s scheduled October 2 civil fraud trial. He had accused the trial judge of wrongly refusing to throw out most of the case.
The decision keep the schedule of the trial as it is was taken by a five-judge panel of the Appellate Division, a mid-level appeals court in Manhattan. The court also lifted a September 14 order by Justice David Friedman to put the trial on hold while it considered Trump’s motion. Friedman was part of Thursday’s panel.
Staggering fraud to overvalue assets for better loans
The ruling was made two days after state court Justice Arthur Engoron found that Trump and his family business persistently and fraudulently overvalued his assets and net worth in order to obtain better terms on loans and insurance.
In 2022, Donald Trump was sued by state Attorney General Letitia James, who accused him, his adult sons, the Trump Organisation and others of “staggering fraud” in how they valued properties to seek loans and insurance,
In the suite, James is seeking at least $250 million in penalties, a ban against Trump and his sons Donald Jr and Eric from running businesses in New York, and a five-year commercial real estate ban against Trump and his firms.
Lawyers for Trump and the other defendants were not immediately available for comment. James’ office had no immediate comment.
The case is unrelated to the four criminal indictments that Trump faces, including for trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all, and cast litigation against him as part of a politically-motivated, Democratic witch hunt as he seeks a return to the White House. James is a Democrat.
Despite his legal woes, Trump holds a commanding lead for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
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