Former President Donald Trump is pleading with New York state’s appeals court to intervene in his civil fraud case, saying an ongoing trial has ensnared his business empire in a “rat’s nest of New York Democrat corruption.”
Mr. Trump, posting Thursday on Truth Social, also complained that his case should have been directed to the commercial division of the state court system, “where judges understand Valuations and Real Estate.”
“This Trump Hating Judge doesn’t. The Appellant Division must intercede, NOW!” Mr. Trump wrote.
Mr. Trump is appealing a ruling by Judge Aaron Engeron that found him liable on some claims of fraud brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
A trial on other claims and the extent of damages began this week, but Mr. Trump and his attorneys filed an appeal of last week’s ruling on the trial’s third day.
Ms. James says Mr. Trump and his business repeatedly overvalued properties to gain more favorable terms on loans and insurance policies.
Mr. Trump’s team says the valuations were reasonable for the prized properties, that financial statements came with disclaimers and that Ms. James is misunderstanding how real estate works.
Judge Engoron on Thursday signaled he is keeping close tabs on the Trump-related assets covered by his earlier ruling.
In a Thursday order, the judge said Mr. Trump and his associates must provide a list of entities they control to a court monitor, retired Judge Barbara S. Jones, and inform the monitor if they transfer any of the assets or get a third party to acquire them.
On Day Four of the trial, defense attorneys for Mr. Trump and his associates finished questioning Donald Bender, an accountant who said the Trump Organization didn’t always provide enough documents to accurately prepare financial statements.
Mr. Trump attended court in person on the first three days of the trial, which could last until December. He departed New York for Florida after a lunch break on Wednesday, prompting Ms. James to say: “The Donald Trump show is over.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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