NY judge displays ‘gross unfairness’ in Trump civil fraud case: Turley

Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley concluded on “America’s Newsroom” Friday that there has been “no sense of equity” in the New York civil fraud case against former President Trump after the judge denied a request to delay enforcement of the $355 million penalty. Turley took issue with Judge Arthur Engoron writing that Trump had “failed to explain” a reason why the judgment should be delayed

JUDGE IN TRUMP CIVIL FRAUD CASE DENIES REQUEST TO DELAY $355 MILLION PENALTY

JONATHAN TURLEY: [The judge’s quote] was funny because the explanation is in the figure. He just imposed a $355 million judgment with a law that has never been used in this way. That’s the reason, and it’s rather obvious. But you also have people like [Attorney General Letitia] James, who have never built a thing other than their political careers, who are now treating these buildings as if they’re theirs. I mean, she said that she’s eyeballing a couple of properties that she might want to seize, like this is a fire sale. And the fact is that the judge showed absolutely no sense of equity in any of this. His decision is the decision of a single jurist. And this party wants to have a review, but in order to do that, he has to pony up what is about a half a billion dollars. And that has a gross unfairness to it when you combine the use of the law and the size of his judgment and then this requirement for a deposit. He just simply brushed those aside and his tone almost bordered on the mocking.

New York Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that former President Trump must pay over $350 million in damages to the state of New York as the result of his civil fraud trial. (Fox News)

Trump lawyers had asked Engoron to delay enforcement of the payment by 30 days to allow time for an “orderly post-judgment process.”

In an email to the defendants posted Thursday to the court docket, Engoron said they had “failed to explain, much less justify, any basis for a stay.”

“I am confident that the Appellate Division will protect your appellate rights,” he wrote. 

Last week, Trump was barred from operating his business in New York for three years and was found liable for $355 million in damages in the civil fraud case brought against him, his family and the Trump Organization by New York Attorney General Letitia James. 

James said Monday she was prepared to seize Trump’s assets if he is unable to pay the massive judgment handed down in his civil fraud case.

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Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.