In a recent development, Alina Habba, the attorney for former President Trump, has publicly mocked New York Attorney General Letitia James. This follows a significant reduction in Trump’s bond in a civil fraud case by an appeals court.
What Happened: The court has reduced Trump’s bond from $464 million to $175 million. Habba, during her appearance on Fox News’s “Jesse Watters Primetime,” proclaimed, “We won,” but also stated that the real victory would be when the entire case is overturned, reported The Hill.
Trump was initially ordered to pay $355 million, excluding interest, for allegedly misrepresenting his net worth to secure favorable treatment from banks and insurers. The bond amount escalated daily due to prejudgment interest, reaching $464 million before the appeals court’s decision.
Habba criticized James and Judge Arthur Engoron, who issued the original order. She also expressed anticipation for James’s reaction to the court’s decision, as James had previously posted about the daily interest added to Trump’s penalty.
Trump and his legal team had attempted to secure a bond for the full amount but failed to do so before the deadline. The appeals court has now suspended the judgment enforcement, provided Trump pays the reduced bond within 10 days.
Habba applauded the appeals court’s decision, stating it restored her faith in the justice system. She also took a jab at James and others who were eager to see Trump unable to meet the payment deadline.
Why It Matters: This development follows a series of events that started with Trump’s legal team arguing that posting a bond exceeding $450 million would be nearly impossible for Trump due to a substantial judgment in a New York civil fraud case. This was contradicted by Trump’s declaration of possessing “almost $500 million” in cash.
Trump’s appeal for an extension to post a bond was dismissed by the New York attorney general’s office as grounded on a “false premise.” The attorney-general had threatened to seize Trump’s assets if he did not comply by the deadline.
However, on March 25, a New York appeals court ruled that Trump will have 10 more days to post an appeals bond for a $454-million civil fraud judgment against him. The amount of the bond was also reduced to $175 million.
Photo Courtesy: Joe Tabacca On Shutterstock.com
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