Donald Trump‘s $250 million civil fraud trial kicked off in New York this week and every day seems to be getting worse for the 77-year-old, one-term, twice-impeached, quadruple-indicted ex-president.
Not only was he already found liable for fraud, had his business licenses revoked, and been gag-ordered by Justice Arthur Engoron after attacking a law clerk on social media, but the testimony provided by witnesses, in particular his former accountant Donald Bender, has been truly devastating, and legal experts are now predicting he’ll be forced to auction off his ill-gotten New York properties, including his prized Trump Tower, when this is all said and done.
But the bad news doesn’t stop there.
Yesterday, Judge Engoron blocked Trump from making any moves to secretly protect his finances while the trial is still underway.
In his ruling, Engoron ordered the ex-president and his two adult sons, Don Jr. and Eric, who are also named defendants in the trial, to supply a list of all the entities they currently own, as well as any third parties that might share an ownership or interest in those entities. They were given a deadline of one week to provide the complete list.
Taking it a step further, Engoron also ordered the Trumps to notify the court in advance of “the creation of a new entity” and “any anticipated transfer of assets or liabilities to any other entities.”
Put simply, they can’t move any money or assets without first running it by the judge, which we’re sure Trump isn’t handling well. He hates being told what to do and struggles with following even the most basic instructions, whether it’s being told to vacate the White House after losing the election or being advised not to stare directly into the sun during a solar eclipse.
Engoron’s order that Trump inform him about any money or assets being transferred to third parties ahead of time also squashes concerns that he might shift them over to Melania, since she’s not a named defendant in the trial.
Although the ex-FLOTUS’s former Chief of Staff Stephanie Grisham told Newsweek recently that she probably wouldn’t go along with a plot like that anyway unless she was granted “major control or power.”
“I just don’t know that she would want to take on that much responsibility unless she was guaranteed some major control or power,” Grisham said.
She added, “I suppose she would potentially do it for Barron’s sake, so he could eventually run everything if he wanted, but I don’t think she would do anything if there’s a potential that she would lose any kind of money or be on the hook for paying taxes.”
In other words: Losing money? Ugh. Paying taxes? Ew!
Trump’s legal team is expected to appeal Engoron’s latest order, although the trial will continue as planned in the meantime. It is expected to run through the end of the year.
Speaking outside the courthouse in New York this week, the ex-president said, “This trial is a disgrace!” Meanwhile, New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose office is prosecuting the case, quipped to reporters, “The Donald Trump show is over.”
WillParkinson
Poor baby.
ZzBomb
I still hold that he will try to flee the country when faced with real prison time. The civil case will hurt him, but he’s utterly terrified of going to jail.
bachy
Judge Engoron realizes he’s dealing with a pit of slithering, wriggling vipers who will do anything to avoid being nailed down by things like Truth and Law. Short of throwing them all in jail for the duration of the trial, he will need to employ massive constraints.
Keep your heel on his neck, Judge!
Diplomat
You mean a viperous gaggle of Abflabs?
abfab
Grow up.
Baron Wiseman
“What sets America apart is that when charged with a crime, a person is considered innocent until proven Republican.”
abfab
When one lifts quotes, one should offer credit. What is it with GOPTROLLS and these stage names?
Baron Wiseman
Dear abfab,
Thank you for your concern. When I read the quote, there was no accredited author.
In the same vein, your erroneous post below requires quotation marks. If you are going to “quote” song lyrics, it be beneficial to attribute the correct lyrics. Not one, but two mistakes in your song lyric post.
abfab
Those are not the song lyrics asshole.
Den
Within the context of the court procedures, Trump will be considered innocent until proven guilty. He will be given a trial in front of a jury of his peers providing he lawyers are not stupid enough to inadvertently waive that right in the future. You regressives seem unable to understand that Trump is not above the law and that ALL citizens are held to the same standards regardless of how tasty a minority of Americans find their feces to be.
LumpyPillows
Or until he admits to anyone listening that he is already guilty.
abfab
Blinded by the light
Wrapped up like a douche
Another runner in the night
still_onthemark
A common mistake, but that’s not really what Springsteen wrote:
Yeah, he was blinded by the light
Oh, cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night
abfab
If you can’t put 2 and 2 together…oh, nevermind STILL.
holly h
It’s, revved up like a Deuce…
(Refers to Ford Coupe)
abfab
Oh god WE KNOW THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…..BUT THIS WAS A SLIGHT REDUX BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE HEAD DOUCHE IN CHIEF DONALD TRUMP.
Geeeze people.
abfab
AND HE WAS STARING RIGHT UP INTO THE SUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHICH HE WAS BLINDED BY!!!!!
And, the song was about cocaine which is also fitting for this sniffally troll who wiped his nose on his sleeves.
Kangol2
For quite some time it’s been clear that it’s OK to commit crimes if you’re Republican. Look at Don the Con, a serial criminal and leader of the GQP cult.
It’s telling that never before in American history had we ever had a candidate for office who had so many members of his campaign team indicted and convicted for lying to the FBI about their contacts with a hostile foreign power (Russia), and we’ve never gotten a clear explanation for why they lied so much to the Feds. Why did so many of them have those weird contacts with Russia and lie to the FBI? Why did Jefferson Sessions, a supposed patriot, lie? And look at Paul Manafort, a complete and total Russian tool. Even Steve Bannon allegedly said that Don Jr.’s meeting with those Russians in Trump Tower was “treasonous.,”
Of course this same person launched a failed coup against the US government and was recently found to be sharing classified info with foreign billionaires (and who know whom else), and had a series of very strange connections and links to said hostile power, including plans to build a luxury tower in that country, yet lied about it himself to the American people. Has he been convicted yet? Would he be galumphing around, screaming and lying and creating chaos, free from sanction, if he were not a (fake) rich Republican?
Lesser criminals are behind bars, especially ones linked to potentially treasonous behavior, faster than you can say “George Washington.”
abfab
Like many ”titians and captains of industry”, things usually don’t end well. But this is one messy artificial family with tacky taste. Those babeball hats he wears….cringe city. How very NY of him. NOT.
Openminded
If I had to bet, I’d bet this list will show that the Trump family has already moved ownership of any assets into an untouchable trust. You don’t grab up that much NY property without knowing how to protect your assets. Ain’t saying it’s right at all, just saying there are surely too many lawyers and accountants being paid to protect the Trump’s from just this kind of scenario.
abfab
Not to mention the entire Republican Party (and the tentacles it has into the banking system) ”protecting” and propping him up, ready to vote him back into office, no matter the crime. Don’t waste your bet on this slimeball.
My2CentsWorth
You may be wrong in your comments. It is very possible that Trump got lawyers & etc. but it is equally possible that he did not pay them.
Den
“You don’t grab up that much NY property without knowing how to protect your assets. ”
Being the sociopath that he is Trump assumes he knows better than anybody. Clearly he does not. He has alienated all the better lawyers, so now has a team of idiots. He whined about “being denied a Jury trial” when it is well known at this point (to all but him and his cult base) that it was a mistake on the part of his legal team who waived that right! So he may well have been relying on incompetents to protect his assets, since he is unlikely to have any idea how to do it himself. This is a man who was never able to figure out how tariffs work, what is in the constitution, what the presidential records act says, the germ theory of disease, what vaccines are, and SO much more!
Diplomat
Getting a judgement against Trump and collecting it are two very different subjects. Judgements don’t even hit your credit report.
Things can get real dicey if property is owned by a Trust or LLC. You then have to sue those entities as owners to win a judgement.
abfab
Another criminal from the same swamp.
Giuliani’s Florida condo placed under IRS lien as ex-NYC mayor owes nearly $550K in taxes
By Alicia Jennings and Shania Shelton, CNN
Fri October 6, 2023
NateOcean
4: Indictments
2: Impeachments
3: Wives
2: Divorces
1: Term President
2: Porn Stars
1: Rape
?: Pussies Grabbed (multiple)
9: $Billions (claimed)
1: $Billions (actual)
Herman75
Bless his heart.
nm4047
Won’t make any difference, is likely to be the next US President, conviction or no conviction. Once he wins, will just pardon himself if convicted. Just adding to his support base with constant publicity that he is winning the airtime to counter. As the saying goes, any publicity is good publicity, especially if the audience you are preaching to is already in the choir.
Stefano
You’re so right. I would even add that this whole circus only confirms what many people elsewhere in the world think. Your country is corrupt to the max and your influence in the world is in decline. Trump will be your gravedigger.
Kangol2
If he’s convicted in New York State court in a civil proceeding and Georgia on criminal charges, and he is facing both respectively, he cannot pardon himself. New York probably won’t have a Republican governor within the next few years, and Georgia’s Republican governor conceivably could pardon him, but Georgia has a lengthy, strict process for this, so it wouldn’t be immediate.
LumpyPillows
Wake me up when he has either actually paid a big penalty or has gone to jail.
Be very careful that we do not end up with this terrible, horrible person as president again. I’m looking at you extreme left-wing nut jobs.
scotty
not to worry. he will be staring at the eclipse this week so he’s got that going for him.