The New York State appellate commission has ruled in favor of Donald Trump, the former president said at a press conference on Thursday.
At the presser, Trump thanked the judge and highlighted the ruling’s significance for his case and the business world generally.
“The Power Division of New York State just gave us a very good ruling. We appreciate it. I think the country appreciates it,” he said.
As of this writing, the specifics of the commission’s rulings are still sealed.
Trump also spoke to the wider implications of the case, warning other businessmen that the legal action against him was reflective of a “Marxist type of reform,” posing a threat to all businesses in New York.
“No business will move back into New York. No business will frankly stay in New York,” he said.
Even with this win, Trump is still up against a barrage of legal problems. Allegations of corporate fraud have the ex-president mired in a New York civil trial. Allegedly, he overstated the value of his properties, including the penthouse in Trump Tower and the Mar-a-Lago club, and provided misleading information to financial institutions and insurance providers. However, real estate and banking experts have contradicted these claims.
Trump and his associates are being pursued by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is seeking penalties surpassing $300 million and the prohibition of Trump and others from doing business in New York. The trial is also looking at the possibility of a five-year ban on Trump purchasing property in the state.
Trump has been vocal in his criticism of the trial, calling it a “witch hunt” and “corrupt,” amid his unwavering denial of wrongdoing. He claims the lenders should have done their own calculations and that the financial statements that are now under review significantly understate his wealth.
Judge Arthur Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James are both Democrats whom Trump has accused of abusing their positions of authority for political gain. When asked about the city in October, Trump claimed to know it better than anyone.
“I know this city better than anybody knows this city,” Trump said. “There’s nobody who knows it like I do… What’s going on here is a shame. Our whole system is corrupt. This is corrupt!”
As part of his strategy, Trump has relied heavily on the testimony of experts and members of his family. According to Trump’s son Eric, “We have some of the best assets in New York,” who spoke about the lawsuit in November. “We’ve never had a default. We’ve never missed a loan payment…This state is going to hell. And it’s because of people like the attorney general of New York.”
“We’re going to win this thing. I promise you we’re going to win it because we haven’t done a damn thing wrong.”
By appealing the pretrial finding that proclaimed fraud, Trump’s legal team appears to be preparing to appeal the verdict. We saw on Thursday that there are indications that the appeals courts may give Trump a better outcome than the continuing trial proceedings.
The trial to expected to conclude before Christmas, and final arguments will take place in January. By that month’s end, the lawsuit should have reached its final outcome.
