Trump Scores Huge Win as Dem-Tilted N.Y. Appeals Court Tosses $500M Fine

A New York appeals court has overturned the civil fraud penalty of more than $500 million that had been imposed on President Donald Trump.

The panel of judges found that the fine was excessive and violated the Eighth Amendment, which protects against overly harsh financial penalties, according to the NY Post:

The Appellate Division, First Department overturned the whopping $464 million judgement which Trump, 78, faced after he was found to have fraudulently inflated his net worth by billions of dollars over a decade to get better loan and insurance terms.

The 323-page decision included three separate opinions but which all agreed the fine against Trump — which had grown to $515 million including interest — was “excessive.”

“While the injunctive relief ordered by the court is well crafted to curb defendants’ business culture, the court’s disgorgement order, which directs that defendants pay nearly half a billion dollars to the State of New York, is an excessive fine that violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution,” the main opinion by Judges Dianne T. Renwick and Peter H. Moulton read.

The ruling marks a major change in a politically-motivated case that had threatened Trump with one of the largest civil penalties ever handed down against a political figure. The appeals judges agreed with the lower court’s conclusion that Trump and the Trump Organization committed fraud by inflating property values to secure better loans and insurance terms. However, they determined that the scale of the financial punishment, which had grown to about half a billion dollars with interest, went beyond what the Constitution allows.

While the enormous fine has been thrown out, the court left in place significant restrictions that may end up being tossed on further appeal. Trump and his sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, are still barred from running businesses in New York for a set period of time, and the Trump Organization will continue to operate under the watch of a court-appointed monitor. These measures were originally put in place to limit the company’s ability to engage in further misconduct.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the case, is now facing criticism after the appeals court struck down the penalty. Legal experts expect that the case could be taken up by New York’s highest court for further review, meaning the long-running legal fight is not yet finished.

Trump quickly commented on Truth Social:

….These were all Political Trials in an effort to destroy my viability as a Presidential Candidate before, during, and after the Election. They were strongly coordinated with the Biden/Harris Campaign, and will go down in History as among the most Corrupt Cases ever brought. These two Cases are even more ridiculous than the Corrupt Letitia James Case, and will be found out to be so in the very near future. All of these Judges should be ashamed of themselves for allowing them to happen. They are Political Hacks who did everything possible to hurt me as a Candidate. This was an attack by the Biden/Harris Administration on their Political Opponent, ME. It is such an Honor to have withstood it, thrived, and even become President of the United States despite the horrible things that were done to me. I’d like to thank and congratulate my son Eric Trump, and all of the many people in the Trump Organization, that fought so strongly for Justice. My Legal Team refused to give up against heavy odds. This is a Great Day for New York City and State!

In the end, Trump will likely be fully vindicated from yet another witch hunt prosecution.