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By Jon Jackson
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Former President Donald Trump's attorney Alina Habba on Friday slammed a judge's decision to fine Trump and the Trump Organization over $354 million in damages in a civil fraud lawsuit.
Justice Arthur Engoron also banned the former president from doing business in New York state for three years.
"This verdict is a manifest injustice—plain and simple," Habba said in a statement sent to Newsweek. "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. Countless hours of testimony proved that there was no wrongdoing, no crime, and no victim."
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The statement continued: "Given the grave stakes, we trust that the Appellate Division will overturn this egregious verdict and end this relentless persecution against my clients.
"Let me make one thing perfectly clear: this is not just about Donald Trump—if this decision stands, it will serve as a signal to every single American that New York is no longer open for business."
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The Context
New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Trump, his two adult sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, the Trump Organization and two firm executives, Allen Weisselberg and Jeff McConney, in September 2022. Engoron, who oversaw the civil trial, found that Trump inflated his assets to get more favorable business loans. Late last year, a months-long trial was held to determine how much Trump and his associates would pay in damages. Trump has maintained his innocence in the case.
What We Know
Engoron ruled on Friday that Trump will have to pay $354.9 million in penalties. Trump, Weisselberg and McConney will all also be barred from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in the state for three years, according to Engoron's ruling.
Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump were ordered to each pay more than $4 million, and both were banned from doing business in the state for two years.
Views
Mary Trump, the former president's estranged niece, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that "today is an emotional day" after Engoron's decision was announced.
"It has taken over half a century but Donald's ability to commit fraud with impunity has come to an end—at least in New York—and trust me, that matters to him," she wrote.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr. denounced Engoron's decision and suggested it was politically motivated.
"We've reached the point where your political beliefs combined with what venue your case is heard are the primary determinants of the outcome; not the facts of the case!" Trump Jr. wrote on X. "It's truly sad what's happened to our country and I hope others see it before it's too late to correct course!"
What's Next
As Habba indicated in her statement, Trump plans to appeal Engoron's decision.
Christopher Kise, another lawyer representing Trump, told Newsweek via email on Friday that "President Trump will of course appeal and remains confident the Appellate Division will ultimately correct the innumerable and catastrophic errors made by a trial court untethered to the law or to reality."
Update 2/16/24, 4:25 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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