This fraud trial in New York, which is using state law to seize control of Trump properties and businesses, could be the real threat that hobbles Donald Trump’s re-election efforts.

How did he get to this point? Well, Letitia James said that she was out to get Trump from day one. By using a state law, James claimed that the Trump organization had “defrauded”… someone… by inflating his financial worth. Now, this is not a tax issue, because the IRS would have dealt with it. This is a crime that apparently has no victims, but James is using state law to strip Trump of business licenses.

On November 3, 2022, the judge found that the defendants, including Trump, his two sons Donald Jr. and Eric, and members of the Trump organization “had a propensity to engage in persistent fraud by submitting false and misleading statements of financial condition on behalf of defendant Donald J. Trump.”

After the defendants moved to dismiss the complaint, the court denied the motion on January 6, 2023. The defendants appealed that ruling.

(Judge Arthur) Engoron wrote in his ruling issued on Tuesday, “Defendants repeat the erroneous argument that the complaint must be dismissed because OAG cannot demonstrate the requirements of a parens patriae action, which is one in the public interest,” then explained that a parens patriae action “permits the state to commence an action to protect a public interest, like the safety, health or welfare of its citizens.”

The judge went on to slam the Trump legal team’s reliance on what he characterized as other “bogus arguments,” including “rent regulated apartments are worth the same as unregulated arguments; restricted land is worth the same as unrestricted land; restrictions can evaporate into thin air; a disclaimer by one party casting responsibility on another party exonerates the other party’s lies.”

But don’t worry, Donald Trump only hires the best and brightest lawyers to defend him? Yeah, no. He is on the hook for a bench trial because his lawyer forgot to request a jury trial.

NBC News reported this weekend about the length of the upcoming Trump trials. But buried in the report was the revelation that Trump’s lawyers checked the box on the forms to elect for a “bench trial” when it comes to Attorney General Letitia James’ case against the Trump Organization, the ex-president and his heirs, who serve as vice presidents.

“The trial is scheduled to begin on October 2, 2023, and to end by December 22, 2023,” Judge Arthur Engoron wrote in the scheduling order.

“Donald Trump’s lawyers screwed up again,” trial lawyer Michael Popok said when talking about the development. “His then-lawyer Alina Habba screwed up the procedures in New York, didn’t file the appropriate paper on time, and therefore, Donald Trump was properly denied a jury trial.”

But never fear, Alina Habba is still on the case.

How is she still employed after her box-checking screw-up? pic.twitter.com/XrbKjHNIt5

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) October 2, 2023

So the fate of the Trump Organization is in the hands of Judge Engoron, who Donald Trump hates – and cannot shut up about hating.

Trump announced on social media he would go to court on Monday to “fight for my name and reputation against a corrupt and racist Attorney General, Letitia James. Trump wrote:

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. He values Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, at 18 Million Dollars, when it is worth 50 to 100 times that amount. His valuations are FRAUDULENT in pursuit of Election Interference, and worse. THIS WHOLE CASE IS A SHAM!!! See you in Court – Monday morning.

He then pivoted to Judge Engoron:

The judge, Arthur Engoron, refuses to accept our big win in the Court of Appeals, nullifying much of the case that the racist Attorney General of New York, Letitia James, has charged us with. Nobody can believe it!

Finally, he called for Engoron to resign “from the ‘Bench’ and be sanctioned by the Courts for his abuse of power, and his intentional and criminal interference with the Presidential Election of 2024.”

Judge Engoron’s Valuation of Mar-a-Lago, the most spectacular property in Palm Beach, Florida, IS FRAUDULENT! He states a value of 18 Million Dollars, knowing full well that it is worth, perhaps, 50 to 100 times that amount. Engoron is working diligently to misrepresent me, and my net worth, which is substantially MORE than is shown on my fully “disclaimed” Financial Statements. I have not even included my most valuable asset – BRAND! He should resign from the “Bench” and be sanctioned by the Courts for his abuse of power, and his intentional and criminal interference with the Presidential Election of 2024, of which I am leading all candidates, both Republican & Democrat, by significant margins. Likewise, Letitia James should resign for purposeful and criminal Election Interference. She is fully aware that Mar-a-Lago, and other assets, are worth much more than what she is claiming. Both of these Democrat Operatives are a disgrace to New York, and to the United States of America!

For all of the politically motivated lawfare that has been brought against Donald Trump, his biggest problem, now and forever, is always going to be his own mouth.

This case matters because what James is doing is trying to take Trump out at the financial knees. If his businesses are stripped from Trump family control, that will monetarily cripple his entire organization, his sons’ work and jobs and legacy, and his own presidential campaign. Everything that Donald Trump is currently fundraising for his presidential campaign is going toward his legal bills. Now, that might be okay for donors – if he’s upfront with that, which he has not been, and has not started a separate legal defense fund for himself, only his allies – but that means that he is depending on the RNC to pick up the campaigning tab. And if the RNC does that, it means that’s money not being spent on Congressional races. Is it the job of the RNC to elect Republicans, or to focus solely on electing Donald Trump?

Letitia James, naturally, is trying to sound like Merrick Garland and claim that “no one is above the law.” Of course, that’s not what she said to get elected.

Her disdain for him because of her politics is written all over her face and heard in her tone. She campaigned on "getting Trump".
Everyone knows what this is. pic.twitter.com/IZ1PlsHDZv

— Tiffanie Tx (@tiffanie_tx) October 2, 2023

Donald Trump showed up to court today, and was more than happy to give a statement to the press before going into the courtroom.

Yes, this is yet another politically motivated move against Donald Trump. Does he help himself by ranting on social media and in front of the courtroom? No. Is he rightfully angry? Yes. Does this hurt his financial situation (and his ability to get loans) heading into the presidential primary and general election? Yes. Are voters prepared to watch cameras follow the former president in and out of courtrooms for the next year, instead of campaigning to convince independents to vote for him? That is yet to be seen.

Featured image: Donald Trump by Gage Skidmore via Flickr, cropped and modified, Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)