Appeals court signals it might be open to altering Donald Trump's $489 million civil fraud penalty
A New York appeals court panel appeared receptive Thursday to potentially overturning or reducing a civil fraud judgment that stands to cost Donald Trump nearly $500 million
NEW YORK (AP) — Some judges in a New York appeals court appeared receptive Thursday to possibly reversing or reducing a civil fraud judgment that stands to cost Donald Trump nearly $500 million. One judge called the former president’s penalty “troubling” and wondered if the state’s policing of private business transactions was “deterrence” or “mission creep.”
A five-judge panel in the state’s intermediate appeals court in Manhattan quizzed lawyers representing Trump and the New York attorney general's office during oral arguments in the Republican presidential nominee's fight to get the Feb. 16 verdict overturned.
At times the judges appeared dubious of Trump’s side, too. Appeals court judges often ask pointed questions of both sides to test their arguments.
Trump is asking the court to reverse Judge Arthur Engoron’s ruling that Trump lied for years about his wealth on paperwork given to banks, insurers and others to make deals and secure loans. The verdict cut to the core of Trump’s wealthy, businessman persona. Three of the five judges who heard Thursday’s arguments must agree in order to alter the outcome.