Donald Trump’s lawyers have made a request to a New York judge to rule in favor of the former U.S. president in a civil fraud case that could potentially damage his real estate empire. The request to end the case was made during the trial, following the New York attorney general’s office presenting their case against Trump, his two adult sons, and 10 of his companies.
If the motion is denied, the trial is expected to continue until mid-December. New York Attorney General Letitia James has accused Trump and his family businesses of manipulating the value of his golf courses, hotels, and other assets to secure favorable deals with lenders and insurers and reduce his tax obligations.
Trump’s lawyers have asked Justice Arthur Engoron for a “directed verdict,” which would mean that no reasonable ruling could be made in favor of the opposing party. However, it is unlikely that Engoron will grant this request as he has already found Trump and 10 of his businesses guilty of persistent fraud, although this ruling only covers one of the seven fraud counts Trump faces.
Trump, who is currently the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has testified in the trial, along with his sons Donald Jr. and Eric Trump. His daughter Ivanka Trump, although involved in the proceedings, is not a defendant in the case.
James is seeking a minimum of $250 million in penalties and wants to impose restrictions that would prevent Trump and his adult sons from engaging in the New York real estate business for five years.
Trump has repeatedly accused James, a Democrat, and the judge overseeing the trial of political bias and “election interference.”
During his testimony on Monday, Trump admitted that his asset valuations were sometimes inaccurate but argued that they were not relevant to banks and insurers. His lawyer, Christopher Kise, furthered this argument by stating that the banks that conducted business with the Trump Organization profited from the loans and that there were no victims, complainants, or injuries in this case.
The trial continues with the judge’s ruling pending.
