# NY AG Letitia James drops the (civil) hammer {On Trump & Family} \[9/21/2022\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [September 21, 2022, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991 "2022-09-21T16:13:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/261 "2023-09-26T23:55:58Z")
> Trump’s unhinged, rambling & demented rant about the Judge dismantling Trump Org. & finding he committed fraud endlessly for years is as epic and utterly insane as you’d expect. Wait, so “Sleepy Joe” has woken up and is single-handedly pulling more strings than the Charleville-Mezieres biannual puppet festival, personally engineering four criminal indictments, the loss of a defamation lawsuit, and the dissolution of Trumpie’s business over fraud charges? That’s some fabulous work by a sleepy old guy! Also, a good time to recall this: "We’re gonna win so much, you may even get tired of winning. And you’ll say, ‘Please, please. It’s too much winning. We can’t take it anymore. Mr. President, it’s too much.’ – Some bloviating Orange Shit-Gibbon, April 12, 2016 All the winning, it’s making my head spin. 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/262 "2023-09-26T23:57:53Z")
It’s always possible Mar-a-Lago could be worth USD1.8bil. Lots of rather valuable documents are stored there. Just needs somebody to fork over that amount of dosh … but if you had that amount of dosh you’d probably recognise a distressed seller. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/263 "2023-09-27T00:02:34Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > "We’re gonna win so much, you may even get tired of winning. And you’ll say, ‘Please, please. It’s too much winning. We can’t take it anymore. Mr. President, it’s too much.’ > > – Some bloviating Orange Shit-Gibbon, April 12, 2016 [![](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.tenor.co%2Fimages%2Fffd79f6da2efac235be24014bee04cec%2Ftenor.gif&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=caa434b58af3d3ea51c4a256292f13ec4e2e572fa2c446569b0a07bff19f1a67&ipo=images) ](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.tenor.co%2Fimages%2Fffd79f6da2efac235be24014bee04cec%2Ftenor.gif&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=caa434b58af3d3ea51c4a256292f13ec4e2e572fa2c446569b0a07bff19f1a67&ipo=images) 😂 ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/264 "2023-09-27T00:05:36Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Eric “The Dumb One” Trump speaks out. Trump bought Mar-a-Lago in 1985 for $5 million. Probably the $18 million figure the Trumps are shouting about comes from evidence submitted as the correct valuation some time in the 1980s. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/265 "2023-09-27T00:09:29Z")
Just to play devil’s advocate, how does one undervalue a property for taxation purposes? For my property, the local assessor assigns the value. I can challenge it, but I don’t set it. How does it matter what the owner thinks the property is worth when when it comes to taxation? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/266 "2023-09-27T00:22:25Z")
“Hated everything about me at a level that I have never seen before!” 😄 So sheltered! Lots of us wouldn’t piss on you if you were on fire, sweetie. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/267 "2023-09-27T01:06:07Z")
– deletes the first three things was going to type as being Pit, not P&E worthy – I wonder though, if in additional to the financial losses that will eventually ensue, 45 is worried that the probable eventual dismantlement will uncover more chicanery, because he’s _truly_ being unhinged in this. Of course, it could just be cumulative effects of all the lawsuits facing him and each one being accurate, despite his protests to his adoring public. One does wonder what his lawyers are saying to him behind close doors (the few remaining sane ones) that is further winding him up. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/268 "2023-09-27T01:09:48Z")
Whoa Nelly, the trial on 2 oct. is a bench trial, in front of the same judge! Good heavens! Wonder how that will go?! ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/269 "2023-09-27T01:22:44Z")
As @Northern_Piper previously pointed out, the bench trial is probably going to be postponed while Judge Engoron’s ruling on the Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment goes up on appeal. If the appeals court were to reverse Judge Engoron’s ruling, then this piece of the case would have to be tried to the judge. No sense doing it twice. That said, I don’t expect the ruling to be overturned on appeal. But delay is always Trump’s goal. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/270 "2023-09-27T01:23:22Z")
The State is asking for 250 million dollars in damages. This could be good. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/271 "2023-09-27T01:25:46Z")
How long before “billionaire” Trump pulls a Giuliani a pleads poverty? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/272 "2023-09-27T01:30:04Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I don’t expect the ruling to be overturned on appeal. But delay is always Trump’s goal. Will such a big case go straight up to the NY Court of Appeals? Will there be a long delay now? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/273 "2023-09-27T01:31:19Z")
I’m not the best person to respond to your question. My experience is with California courts and they do things a little differently in New York. @Procrustus might know, though. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/274 "2023-09-27T01:46:41Z")
Of course the question is- has trump even paid out a dime on any of the recent lawsuits? Has he paid E. Jean Carroll anything? ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/275 "2023-09-27T01:49:34Z")
I don’t know if she’s seen the dough yet, but Trump had to put the $$$ in escrow while he appeals (I’m sure escrow is the wrong term of art). ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/276 "2023-09-27T01:58:40Z")
Yes, it’s [escrowed in a court-controlled account.](https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/23/politics/trump-e-jean-carroll-5-5-million/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/277 "2023-09-27T02:26:16Z")
Very good question. I’m not sure it’s about _local property taxation_: > **[Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes as He Reaped Riches From His Father...](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/02/us/politics/donald-trump-tax-schemes-fred-trump.html)** > > The president has long sold himself as a self-made billionaire, but a Times investigation found that he received at least $413 million in today’s dollars from his father’s real estate empire, much of it through tax dodges in the 1990s. [wasn’t paywalled for me] > Much of this money came to Mr. Trump because he helped his parents dodge taxes. He and his siblings set up a sham corporation to disguise millions of dollars in gifts from their parents, records and interviews show. Records indicate that Mr. Trump helped his father take improper tax deductions worth millions more. He also helped formulate a strategy to undervalue his parents’ real estate holdings by hundreds of millions of dollars on tax returns, sharply reducing the tax bill when those properties were transferred to him and his siblings. You lowball on that side, and then lie like a cheap rug on the high side to potential lenders/investors, and … you’ve definitely lied to somebody. I’m guessing that A Certain Amount of Discrepancy is “to be expected” among that set. I’m also guessing that Trump blew that “within normal parameters” standard by an order of magnitude or three. It does seem that the NY AG lawsuit against Trump was limited to the ‘overvaluation’ piece, though. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/278 "2023-09-27T02:39:22Z")
Isn’t the ‘undervaluation’ part up to the IRS? ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/279 "2023-09-27T02:56:15Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > How long before “billionaire” Trump pulls a Giuliani a pleads poverty? And starts ringing up Fleece-a-Rube dot com for online donations to his legal defenses. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/280 "2023-09-27T03:19:49Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Will such a big case go straight up to the NY Court of Appeals? Will there be a long delay now? The case won’t be appealed (typically) until the rest of the case is resolved. The first step is Supreme Court, Appellate Division. The final step is NY Court of Appeals. (confusing, but the way the courts are organized in New York State). I have no recent experience that would allow me to offer an opinion on how long it might take. A couple of years is not unusual in other states. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=15)