Letitia James

Letitia James may start 'seizing Trump's properties' as he sits in criminal trial: expert

As Donald Trump sits in criminal court facing 34 felony charges for purported financial records violations stemming from an attempt to bury a story about an alleged affair with an adult film actress, he may also face a separate prosecutor seizing his real estate holdings, according to a legal expert.

Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner published a "Justice Matters" video on Saturday in which he covers a recent filing by New York A.G. Letitia James, who sued Trump in a civil case for business fraud based on his chronic exaggeration of assets to get better loan terms. Specifically, the ex-prosecutor noted how James recently urged state Judge Arthur Engoron to reject the $175 million bond that Trump has posted in his civil fraud case, citing trustworthiness and competency concerns with the institution that agreed to bond him.

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Judge urged by prosecutors to reject Trump's civil fraud bond as lacking 'trustworthiness'

New York Attorney General Letitia James is urging state Judge Arthur Engoron to reject the $175 million bond former President Donald Trump is posting in his civil fraud case.

According to MSNBC legal analyst Adam Klasfeld, James' filing says that Trump's bond fails to meet "requirements of trustworthiness and competence" and should therefore be held "without effect."

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Trump uses courtroom 'soap opera' to drive up 'sympathy, support' and cash: top donor

Donald Trump's ongoing legal drama has been his most effective fundraising tool, and new data shows his hush money trial could drive up even more small-dollar donations.

The data based on campaign finance filing from the GOP payment processor WinRed shows Trump drew substantially more small-dollar donations in the first quarter of this year on days with new legal developments, which his joint fundraising committee has explicitly referenced in fundraising pitches — nearly a third of which include the phrase "witch hunt," reported Politico.

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'Absurd': Expert predicts Trump's last-minute fraud bond will be rejected

Donald Trump's last-minute filing Monday night states that the bond he's offered up in his civil fraud case now has "substantial financial credibility" — but experts aren't so sure.

Trump's $175 million bond, which would allow him to put seizures of his property on hold while he appeals the verdict that hit him with $454.2 million in damages earlier this year, was initially knocked by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who claimed its source — Knight Specialty Insurance Company — was not properly licensed in New York state.

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Trump's new $175M bond to be challenged in upcoming hearing: court records

New York Attorney General Letitia James has been granted a hearing by state judge Arthur Engoron to challenge the $175 million bond former President Donald Trump posted in his civil fraud case.

In a new, brief order signed by Engoron, James was directed to present her case to the court on April 22 that the bond, posted by Knight Specialty Insurance Company, should not be accepted.

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‘Something’s fishy here’: Trump’s latest $175M bond filings questioned by experts

Attorneys for Donald Trump waited until less than two hours before midnight Monday to file revisions to the ex-president's $175 million bond for the judgment in his civil fraud case after New York State Attorney General Letitia James questioned the validity of his first bond. Legal experts are now questioning details of the new bond filings. Some suggest a portion of the $175 million might also currently be in use to secure other debts or obligations.

After Trump was found liable for manipulation of his net worth in the civil business fraud case and ordered to pay a $354.9 million penalty plus interest, he was required to post bond to ensure the people of the State of New York would receive $454.2 million if his appeal is unsuccessful.

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Trump challenges Letitia James' objection to his $175M bond

Donald Trump's lawyers argued in a new court filing that New York Attorney General Letitia James was wrong to object to his $175 million bond.

A court fined the former president $454 million in February after finding him liable for fraud after inflating the value of his properties, and Trump was required under state law to post the bond to prevent James from seizing his assets while he appealed the ruling.

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Trump is paying ex-accountant hush money to avoid aiding prosecutors: report

Former President Donald Trump has had another hush money arrangement to try to avoid getting held civilly or criminally responsible for anything related to the Trump Organization, reported The Daily Beast — this time, with his family's longtime former CFO Allen Weisselberg.

Weisselberg, according to the report from Michael Daly, "signed a $2 million separation agreement with the Trump Organization as he began a five-month jail term for tax evasion in January 2023. The agreement called for eight payments between March 31, 2023, and Dec. 31, 2024. Five have been made, so Trump is still on the hook for three more. In return, Weisselberg agreed not to 'induce, encourage, instigate, aid, abet or otherwise cause any other person entity to bring or file a complaint, charge, lawsuit or other proceeding' against Trump or anyone associated with his company."

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Real questions on whether Trump 'can control his temper' for even one day at trial: expert

Jury selection begins Monday in Donald Trump's criminal trial, and MSNBC's Lisa Rubin expects outbursts right off the bat from the first former president to ever be tried for crimes.

Court officials expect about 500 new jurors each day to be available, with about 100 brought at a time into judge Juan Mechan's courtroom for vetting, and Rubin told "Morning Joe" that she anticipates that procedural issues will delay that first batch from being vetted.

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Women are behind the 'karmic justice' driving Trump to legal ruination: columnist

On the day before Donald Trump will have to appear in a Manhattan courtroom and deal with 34 felony counts related to paying off an adult film star to keep quiet about their alleged affair before the 2016 election, a New York Times columnist marveled that five women have led the charge to call him to account for a lifetime of skirting the law.

Noting the former president's seeming contempt for women — whom he has notoriously boasted are fair game for sexual assault -- the Times' Jessica Bennett claimed there is a "certain karmic justice" at work here.

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Trump is barrelling towards the 'worst day in his public life': former prosecutor

During an appearance on MSNBC on Saturday morning, former federal prosecutor Paul Butler bluntly stated that the moment Donald Trump steps into a Manhattan courtroom on Monday, it will commence the "worst day of his life" as he faces 34 felony counts that could lead to four years in jail.

Speaking with fill-in host Charles Coleman Jr., Butler explained that for the first time in his life, the former president's actions have led to a moment in life where he faces very real consequences that could impact his freedom.

Speaking with the host, he stated, "On Monday, something historical will happen. It will be the first day in Donald Trump's life that he is beginning to be brought to judgment in a criminal case for his own alleged corruption."

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"As you noted, his lawyers have filed nine different motions to delay the trial with Judge Juan Merchan. They're trying to get around the law that they can't appeal until after the trial, that is what the Article 78 motion was about," he explained. " And the reason for that, Charles, is that Trump's defense is delay. But when he is actually brought to judgment, when his cases are heard on the merits, he loses all the time."

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Trump plans a trial tactic that 'did not go well for him' last time: former prosecutor

Trump says he is ready to sing again under oath.

"Yeah, I would testify," Trump said earlier Friday during a presser with Speaker Mike Johnson, who made a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago. "That's not a trial, that's a scam."

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Trump shares post slamming stock market for not getting his 'Michelangelo'-level genius

Former President Donald Trump Friday made a new addition to his list of institutions that are conspiring against him: the stock market.

Trump shared this viewpoint on Truth Social, the social media site whose parent company has seen its value plummet after news hit it lost $58 million in 2023, in the form of an editorial from a writer whose credentials include “Author of President Trump's favorite Substack.”

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