Donald Trump is trying to make the most out of a tough situation, pleading with donors to give as much as $3,300 to his campaign by telling New York prosecutors to ‘keep your filthy hands off Trump Tower.’
Trump’s pitch, through his Save America PAC, referenced DA Letitia James’ threat to seize property assets if Trump doesn’t make good on the $454 million court judgement against him or post bond.
Trump’s lawyers have told a New York judge it is a practical impossibility for him to obtain a bond, after soliciting 30 companies.
‘Insane radical Democrat AG Letitia James wants to SEIZE my properties in New York,’ the PAC says in the fundraising appeal blasted out to supporters.
‘THIS INCLUDES THE ICONIC TRUMP TOWER!’ according to the solicitation.
Former President Donald Trump told New York authorities to ‘keep your hands off Trump Tower’ as AG Letitia James could start trying to seize or impose liens on assets as soon as Monday
‘Democrats think that this will intimidate me. They think that if they take my cash to stifle my campaign, that I’ll GIVE UP!’ Trump writes before vowing he will ‘NEVER SURRENDER!’
Although there has been some speculation by Trump critics about padlocking Trump Tower, a new legal filing by James to register the judgment in Westchester County, New York, puts two other pieces of his property empire in the crosshairs.
The county includes Trump’s Seven Springs, which was a key piece of evidence in his fraud trial, where prosecutors charged him with running up valuations
Trump bought the estate back in 1995 for $7.5 million, but prosecutors said he quintupled the valuation, putting it as high as $291 million one year.
It also includes Trump National Golf Club Westchester.
One thing state and local governments are empowered to do is imposing liens on real estate assets in situations where payment is owed. The state can also carry out foreclosures on properties, or subpoena Trump for information on what pieces of his property empire are worth.
Trump lawyer Alina Habba on Wednesday termed the idea that he should start selling his real estate assets was ‘completely ridiculous.’
New York AG Letitia James has already threatened to seize assets if Trump didn’t post bond
That is a paper-driven process that is less dramatic than one bering envisioned by some Trump critics on TV – who have described authorities slapping a chained padlock across the 5th Avenue entrance to Trump Tower.
‘I don’t know if I’m laughing or crying,’ said host Whoopi Goldberg on ABC’s ‘The View’ Wednesday, after introducing the news during the show to the delight of her co-hosts.
‘I can’t wait to see the chains on Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue. I’m kind of excited about it,’ co-host Sunny Hostin said.
But state officials won’t simply padlock the building, an AP analysis concluded.
There are instances of the state seizing assets after a process, including authorities taking O.J. Simpson’s Heisman Trophy when he was facing a $33.5 million wrongful death judgment.
Trump lawyer Alina Habba on Wednesday termed the idea that he should start selling his real estate assets was ‘completely ridiculous.’
She said it was all part of the effort by Trump’s political enemies to destroy the former president with the legal verdict from the beginning.
‘I think everything is done intentionally. I do not doubt that the witch hunt that the election interference goal is what was ringing steady and loudly and true throughout these trials, frankly,’ she said.
Habba said Trump and his family ‘made the skyline of New York changed forever’ with their prominent buildings and said it would not be right to hold a ‘fire sale’ of Trump’s key real estate assets like Trump Tower in New York City.
Trump on his Truth Social platform branded Judge Arthur Engoron a ‘Radical Left’ judge and ‘The Crooked Judge’ as well as a ‘bad judge.’
Facing a massive court judgement racking up more than $100,000 in interest per day, Trump may be tempted to declare bankruptcy, as he has done multiple times in the past.
The Washington Post reported that Trump isn’t considering bankruptcy right now.
‘What is happening to him and his businesses right now is exactly why the bankruptcy code exists,’ said a person in Trump’s circle. ‘It would be a fresh start,’ the person told the paper.
Forbes reported that one option would be to declare bankruptcy only for 40 Wall Street, an asset that James has singled out. It has a balloon mortgage payment coming up where Trump has personally guaranteed $26 million.