Little things mean a lot. Fox News did a very small bit today, which we reported on here, when it contradicted Eric Trump’s impassioned plea about the utter impossibility of getting a bond for half a billion dollars. Turns out Fox News was not the only one who deduced that this was b.s., so did PolitiFact and a lot of other people. Now where this gets interesting, is that Joyce Vance has determined that basically Trump’s entire legal argument is now undercut. Maybe.
If that sounds incomprehensible, it’s because you will see the table of contents in Trump’s last motion filed with the court and you’ll see the hardship argument clearly delineated. You will also recall that Trump blared in all-caps on Truth Social this week that he had $500M in the bank. So either Trump undercut his own argument, perhaps even committing perjury, or his lawyers hoped they could make the hardship argument fly and now it’s been revealed that no, they are wrong, a half billion dollar bond is not impossible. In fact it’s commonplace in litigation at a certain level.
Last Monday, Trump’s lawyers told the court they had tried—and failed—to get a bond. They asked the court for a stay or an alternative to a full bond.
Trump’s lawyers argued that the court should stay the execution of the judgment against him, claiming that the AG was incorrect when she argued that the court lacked the authority to waive or reduce an appellate bond requirement. Trump’s lawyers claim the court has the inherent authority to do so or to keep James from enforcing the judgment now. They say that “the court may consider ‘any relevant factor, including the presumptive merits of the appeal and any exigency or hardship confronting any party.’”
So what is the “exigency or hardship”? The compelling reason the Trump team puts forward is their claim that they made “ongoing diligent efforts” that “have proven that a bond in the judgment’s full amount is ‘a practical impossibility.’” They claim to have approached “30 surety companies through 4 separate brokers,” but “A bond requirement of this enormous magnitude-effectively requiring cash reserves approaching $1 billion … is unprecedented for a private company.” Trump’s lawyers claim that “Even when it comes to publicly traded companies, courts routinely waive or reduce the bond amount. Enforcing an impossible bond requirement as a condition of appeal would inflict manifest irreparable injury on Defendants.”
As stated, the bond requirement is not “impossible.” Plus Joyce Vance goes on to point out that Trump’s brief argues there are no “actual victims” in this case and makes light of his conduct. This is the heart of what it means to be Trump—the sense of entitlement that leads him to believe he can ignore the judgment of a court of law as if it is of no consequence.”
And this is what he’s been saying all along, and his kids have all been echoing for him, “This case has no victims, no damages, and no actual financial losses … The $464 million penalty in this case has been aptly described as ‘using a Hellfire missile to annihilate an [alleged] shoplifter.’” (Trump’s lawyers quoting the Wall Street Journal there.)
What would be comical if it wasn’t so concerning is the fact that the plain rule of law dictates that since the attorney general proved her case that now it’s time for Trump to pay the piper. That is supposed to happen tomorrow.
But wait — there’s even more argument that Letitia James shouldn’t enforce the rule of law. You recall Frank Luntz, the pollster, saying that people would be upset if James levied on Trump’s asset. Oh noes. People will be upset if justice is done to Trumpty Dumpty?
It’s called the law no corruption no corrupt judge ask most New Yorkers this man has been a crook for YEARS #TrumpCrimeFamily #TrumpIsBrokeAF #TrumpIsACareerCriminal pic.twitter.com/Z7pp5fzeeN
— cinnamontoast 🌊 (@Dawnsl8) March 23, 2024
That is the bottom line. New Yorkers and New Jersens (Jerseyites?) know exactly what Trump is about. They have for decades.
With respect to the Manhattan D.A.’s case, there’s a hearing in that tomorrow, rather than the beginning of the trial and Judge Merchan believes trial can go forward as soon as April 15.
So tomorrow is a pivotal day in Trump world. I’m so glad Trump won his golf tournaments and celebrated that on Sunday. I don’t think this week is going to be much of a celebration of anything. Not for him, in any event. The yous and mes may be dancing in the streets.
Strictly speaking it’s the judge who ‘paid the piper’ as he’s the one who called the tune (to the extent of $400 million plus)
Trump’s expectations do match what the law supports in every state and court in the land…there are TWO systems of justice in America, one for the rich and one for the rest of us. The richest guys pay NO taxes, get government subsidies and buy politicians to make laws FOR them. I wonder how many daddys will be led out of courtrooms in handcuffs today because they have no job to pay child support? I wonder how many cannabis users will be led out in handcuffs by those who drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes? I wonder how many innocent people are sitting in jail because they had no money for bail or for a real attorney to defend themselves? Trump expects special treatment because he ALREADY HAS GOTTEN IT FOR YEARS!!! Let me or you steal thousands of classified documents, get caught, refuse to give them back, secretly move them around, openly admit we did it, and still be free, much less running for the highest office in the land!!!! America…WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SHIT WE HAVE ALLOWED OVER THE YEARS!!!! DON’T LIKE THAT? THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! VOTE! Otherwise…sit back and enjoy this ride on the river of hypocrisy.
Inexplicably, the court reduced the required amount by half, and granted him an extra 10 days. I was audited once over a small deduction. They wanted an extra $500. I likely had the proof in storage in Maryland where everything I owned was,,after my first husband’s death, and I moved to FL to live with my parents). I made under $10 a year as an adjunct professor at a military extension of a college. they agreed to deduct from my tax return instead.
The I.R.S. tends to go after low level.folks who made an error, especially those,self -employed ( writers,,artists, who are maybe making $20K a year) because we don’t have a high-powered team of expert tax lawyers to throw at them. The system is rigged in the favor of rich @$$holes.
Bingo. Meanwhile the 5 richest guys in America paid zero income taxes.