The legal team of former President Donald Trump announced this week that it would appeal the $355 million court decision against him issued earlier this month. The appeal is not unexpected and came after comments by Trump’s attorney Alina Habba decrying the judgment by Judge Arthur Engoron.
Trump’s legal team disputed the finding of the New York court which alleged that his business committed fraud. As part of the judgment, Trump and his sons received fines and Trump was unable to conduct business in the state for three years.
Trump attorney Christopher Kise said that he was confident that a higher could would “ultimately correct the innumerable and catastrophic errors made by a trial court untethered to the law or to reality.”
Habba said separately that the decision “will serve as a signal to every single American that New York is no longer open for business.”
Trump Challenges NY AG Letitia James with APPEAL on $464 million Ruling 😳 pic.twitter.com/TTBr4WH7Ka
— Trish Regan (@trish_regan) February 27, 2024
Habba called the initial decision a “manifest injustice.”
She said that Engoron’s decision was the “culmination of a multi-year, politically fueled witch hunt that was designed to ‘take down Donald Trump,’ before Letitia James ever stepped foot into the Attorney General’s office. Countless hours of testimony proved that there was no wrongdoing, no crime and no victim.”
“I’m very confident on our appeal, I have no concerns there, the record was so biased, the decisions were so void of law and order and fact that we are not concerned on the higher level courts,” she said. “I’m actually looking forward to getting a fair shake you know we always knew Lydia this was going to be a long run on all these cases.”
Habba held a brief press event following the initial judgment, stating that she was looking forward to the appeal in the case.
The former president was held responsible in two New York court judgments, including another for allegedly defaming an author.
Overall, the former president faces nearly $500 million in penalties. New York Attorney General Tish James (D) said that the state would consider seizing the properties of the real estate mogul if he does not pay the fines.
This includes the possible seizure of the Trump Building in Manhattan.
The former president called the ruling a grave injustice on social media and specifically criticized both the judge and the attorney general.
