NY court tosses Letitia James‘ judgment against Trump, reversing a $527 million penalty.
Is this a total vindication for Donald Trump? Not exactly. But any day a court puts $527 million back in your pocket and keeps your business license in place is a very good day indeed.
The New York state appellate court finally issued its decision on Trump’s appeal of the verdict and judgment in the civil fraud lawsuit brought by Letitia James, after a delay of nearly a year. The court declined to reverse the verdict, but called Judge Arthur Engoron’s judgment a violation of the Eighth Amendment. The appellate court reversed the entire monetary penalty and kept the business restrictions on hold:
An appeals court has thrown out the massive civil fraud penalty against President Donald Trump, ruling Thursday in New York state’s lawsuit accusing him of exaggerating his wealth. .
“While the injunctive relief ordered by the court is well crafted to curb defendants’ business culture, the court’s disgorgement order, 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,” Judges Dianne T. Renwick and Peter H. Moulton wrote in one of several opinions shaping the appeals court’s ruling.
Engoron also imposed other punishments, such as banning Trump and his two eldest sons from serving in corporate leadership for a few years. Those provisions have been on pause during Trump’s appeal, and he was able to hold off collection of the money by posting a $175 million bond.
