Former President Donald Trump traveled to New York City on Monday for the first day of his trial over claims that he had inflated his net worth to obtain better loans — a case that has faced many criticisms over the Democrat judge’s decision to rule before even having a trial that Trump’s businesses should be dissolved and his declaration that Mar-a-Lago was only worth $18 million.
Yea, but Mar-a-Lago with 10X the land, ocean frontage, & one of the most spectacular homes in the world on it is worth only $18 million because a judge wants it to be so for his narrative.
Our legal system has been commandeered by radicals hell bent on destroying America! https://t.co/aHevFkZyLr
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 26, 2023
Upon arriving at the New York City Supreme Court in Manhattan, Trump told reporters that the trial was just a “continuation of the single greatest witch hunt of all time.”
“There is no crime,” the former president declared before entering the court. “The crime is against me.”
Trump’s attorney Alina Habba also spoke out before the trial began — arguing that the charges were filed against Trump only because he is leading in the polls. The former president is currently the clear frontrunner in the Republican primary with a significant lead over his challengers, and he has recently gained a lead over President Joe Biden in the polls as well.
“What we are witnessing is election interference of somebody who is leading in the polls the more they hit him. So keep hitting him, because he’s going to keep fighting,” Habba said.
Trump is being accused of inflating his net worth by as much as $2 billion in certain years. New York Attorney General Letitia James, who campaigned on arresting Trump, wants the former president fined $250 million in this case. The attorney general sued Trump under a law that requires a judge to decide the outcome instead of a jury, which is especially beneficial to James because the judge chosen for the case is a Democrat.
James also commented on the case when speaking with reporters on Monday morning — where she argued that Trump had engaged in fraud.
“Today we will prove our other claims,” the attorney general said. “My message is simple: No matter how powerful you are, no matter how much money you think you may have, no one is above the law. And it is my responsibility and my duty and my job to enforce it.”
Last week, Democrat Judge Arthur Engoron issued a summary judgment — which is a ruling without a trial and without allowing the defense to present their case — that declared Trump liable for “persistent fraud” solely based on the New York State Attorney General’s Office’s claims that the former president had prepared, certified and submitted false and misleading financial statements to his lenders. The ruling has been deemed the “corporate death penalty,” prompting conservatives to express outrage at the judge’s clear bias against Trump.
The ruling could lead to Trump and his sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, losing control over their New York properties.
