Trump enters court with Eric Trump, others
Among those Trump entered the courthouse with today are his lawyer, Alina Habba, strategist Jason Miller and his son Eric Trump.
Trump told reporters as he entered the building, “There is no crime, the crime is against me.”
Judge denies media request to allow cameras to film opening statements
The judge denied a request by a group of media companies to allow cameras to film the opening statements.
Scenes from the court
James arrived in the courtroom at 9:30 a.m. and greeted each member of the prosecution team.
The prosecution team arrived in force with about a dozen lawyers as Trump’s lead Secret Serve agent surveyed the defense table where the former president will sit. There is tension combined with excitement in the air as the trial begins, with murmurs that Trump’s wife, Melanie, is here as well but this has not been confirmed.
Lead Trump attorney Chris Kise exchanged a warm greeting with James, who stood up to greet him. James is in the front row on the right side of the room facing the bench with direct line of sight to where Trump will sit. A court officer is seen sitting next to James.
Trump attorney and spokeswoman Alina Habba is also in attendance, along with several other Trump attorneys who are sitting down in the first row of the gallery. Secret Service agents are seen every few feet around the courtroom, with court officers in white shirts crowded at the entrance.
Court comes to order
At about 10:10 a.m., the court was called to order to begin the trial.
Trump arrives at the courthouse
Trump arrived at the courthouse shortly before 10 a.m. ET.
He delivered remarks to reporters, defending his financial statements and calling the trial “a continuation of the single greatest witch hunt of all time.”
James arrives at New York Supreme Court
James arrived at the New York Supreme Court. Speaking to reporters in front of the court, she referred to the decision from Engoron last week that found Trump and other defendants “have committed persistent and repeated fraud.”
“Today we will prove our other claims,” she said. “My message is simple: No matter how powerful you are, no matter how much money you think you may have, no one is above the law. And it is my responsibility and my duty and my job to enforce it.”
“The law is both powerful and fragile and today in court we’ll prove our case,” the New York attorney general added. “I thank you all for being here and again justice will prevail.”
Trump releases video statement ahead of court appearance
Ahead of his expected court appearance, Trump issued remarks in a video message sent via text to his supporters this morning.
“Our country is in a very dark place right now,” he said. “But even after everything the Deep State has done to me, I will never give up an America. Mark my words: in 2024 we will win back the White House. We will make America great again. I have no doubt about it.”
Trump accused “the RINOs, the communists, the Marxists, the fascists” of unfairly targeting him as he pushed his false claims of a “rigged” 2020 election.
“We will not only survive, we will be stronger than ever before,” he said. “We’re fighting a fight like nobody ever thought possible. And we’re winning.”
James says Trump ‘cheated the system’ ahead of trial start
James released a statement today ahead of the trial, which alleges that for years Trump has “falsely inflated his net worth to enrich himself and cheat the system.”
The New York attorney general referred to the decision from Engoron last week, finding that Trump had committed fraud for years.
“In this country, there are consequences for this type of persistent fraud, and we look forward to demonstrating the full extent of his fraud and illegality during trial,” James said in her statement.
“No matter how rich or powerful you are, there are not two sets of laws for people in this country. The rule of law must apply equally to everyone, and it is my responsibility to make sure that it does,” she continued.
James plans to be in court today
James plans to be in the courtroom today for the start of the trial, according to a person familiar with her plans. This sets up a potential faceoff between James and Trump, who said he plans to be in the New York County courthouse.
James alleges some well-known Trump properties were overvalued by the organization
In her lawsuit against Trump and his company, James alleges the former president issued fraudulent statements that falsely inflated the value of almost two dozen properties and assets owned by him and the Trump Organization.
Some of the assets and tactics allegedly used to inflate their values include:
- Trump Tower: Trump’s triplex apartment was valued at 30,000 square feet, but in reality was only 10,996 square feet. The apartment was therefore erroneously valued at $326 million in 2015 — more than three times the value of the most expensive apartment ever sold in New York City, according to the attorney general’s office.
- Trump Park Avenue: Trump allegedly inflated the value of the property in part by valuing rent-stabilized condominium units at market rate and bypassing outside valuations. The AG’s office noted that an outside bank-ordered appraisal valued 12 rent-stabilized units in the building at $750,000 total in 2010. However, the untested were valued at almost $50 million total in 2011 and 2012 statements.
- Mar-a-Lago: Trump’s Florida resort was valued as high as $739 million, allegedly based on false claims that it could be developed and sold for residential use. Trump, however, signed deeds donating his residential development rights, restricting changes to the property and limiting the use of the property to a social club, according to the AG’s office.
- Trump Aberdeen: The valuation of the golf course, located in Aberdeen, Scotland, was based on the assumption that 2,500 homes could be developed, but the Trump Organization obtained zoning approval to develop fewer than 1,500 cottages and apartments. And many of those were expressly identified solely as short-term rentals, the AG’s office said.
- Trump National Gold Club in Jupiter, Florida: Trump purchased the golf court for $5 million, but less than a year later he valued it at $62 million on the 2013 statement, which amounted to a $1,100% markup. Trump allegedly used several deceptive methods to fraudulently overstate the value of the property, such as adding an additional 30% to its value for the Trump brand in 2013 and 2015, and 15% from 2015 through 2020, according to the AG’s office.
Trump says he’ll be in court to ‘fight for my name and reputation’
Trump said he will be in court in New York for the start of his civil fraud trial in a post on his Truth Social platform last night.
He also took aim at James, who brought the $250 million lawsuit against Trump and his company, and Engoron, who will decide the case.
“I’m going to Court tomorrow morning to fight for my name and reputation against a corrupt and racist Attorney General, Letitia James, who campaigned on ‘getting Trump,’ and a Trump Hating Judge who is unfair, unhinged, and vicious in his PURSUIT of me,” Trump wrote.
N.Y. judge ruled Trump committed fraud and lied about net worth for years
A New York judge ruled in the state attorney general’s $250 million lawsuit against Trump and his company last week that the former president committed repeated acts of fraud for years.
According to the ruling, which allowed the civil trial to begin this week, Trump lied to banks and insurers by both overvaluing and undervaluing his assets when it was to his benefit, while exaggerating his net worth to the tune of billions of dollars.
In his 35-page ruling, Engoron said Trump continually lied on his financial statements and was able to get favorable loan terms and lower insurance premiums as a result. Trump’s legal arguments defending the statements are based in “a fantasy world, not the real world,” he wrote.
Read the full story here.
Trump civil fraud trial gets underway in New York
A $250 million civil fraud lawsuit brought by the New York attorney general’s office against Trump, his company and two of his adult children is set to go to trial today in a case that could have widespread implications for the former president’s businesses.
The no-jury trial in Manhattan is expected to last about three months, concluding by Dec. 22, and will be decided by Engoron.
The ruling, which allowed the case to go to trial this week, will also have practical repercussions for Trump’s numerous limited liability companies, or LLCs. The judge’s order set in motion a dissolution process for entities like Trump Organization LLC, which has helped expand the Trump brand over the years.
Read the full story here.
Read the full article here