Former President Trump’s lawyers blasted the $335 million verdict against him Friday, disparaging the costly ruling as a multi-year, “politically fueled witch hunt” orchestrated to take him down.
Both Trump attorneys, Christopher Kise and Alina Habba, accused the court of failing to follow the law after the 92-page decision came down from Judge Arthur Engoron.
“Legal cases are supposed to be decided based on the application of established legal principles to the actual evidence,” Kise said in a statement. “During 44 days of trial, not one witness, not one complaint, and not one victim supported the Attorney General’s manufactured claims of ‘fraud.’”
Habba characterized the ruling as a “witch hunt” to disparage the GOP presidential front-runner, alleging the takedown was planned even before New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) took up her role.
“This verdict is a manifest injustice – plain and simple,” Habba said in a statement. “It is 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.”
The $335 million fine is $16 million off of what James’ office wanted, but the decision prevents Trump from doing business in the state of New York for three years.
Engoron’s decision came just weeks after closing arguments. It followed a months-long trial during which the former president regularly went after the prosecutor who brought the case and the judge presiding over it.
James’s case against Trump started in 2022, when she alleged he falsely changed his net worth to get insurance and tax benefits. The statements with altered values were circulated to insurers and banks in hopes of getting loans, which the state considers that evidence of committing fraud in the case.
Besides Trump, other top executives and the Trump Organization were found liable even before the trial started.
Kise described the ruling as an “abuse of power” that will have implications for the entire U.S. economy.
“Make no mistake, the sobering future consequences of this tyrannical abuse of power do not just impact President Trump,” Kise said. “When a Court willingly allows a reckless government official to meddle in the lawful, private, and profitable affairs of any citizen based on political bias, America’s economic prosperity and way of life are at extreme risk of extinction.”
Following the ruling, Trump’s financial state might be shaken, considering he has already been ordered to pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defamation.
Habba said the appellate court will overturn the decision.
“Given the grave stakes, we trust that the Appellate Division will overturn this egregious verdict and end this relentless persecution against my clients,” she said.