# 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:** 79
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2023, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1562 "2023-11-22T18:29:13Z")
Exactly. Anything associated with Trump has the appearance of quality and profitability, until one realizes it’s nothing more than gilded shit. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2023, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1563 "2023-11-22T18:44:37Z")
See: [Trumpery](https://wordsmith.org/words/trumpery.html). ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2023, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1564 "2023-11-22T20:21:45Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > This seems to be explicitly saying that they could just multiply the asset values by _(t)_, which is the Trumpiness variable that changes daily depending on what Trump needs it to be to inflate the asset. Didn’t Trump explicitly say this? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2023, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1565 "2023-11-22T20:47:42Z")
Isn’t making up numbers for what something will be worth in the future and using it as today’s valuation what undid Enron, at least in part? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2023, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1566 "2023-11-22T22:56:29Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > This seems to be explicitly saying that they could just multiply the asset values by _(t)_, which is the Trumpiness variable that changes daily depending on what Trump needs it to be to inflate the asset. While simultaneously claiming that the financial statement does not include the intangible value of Trump’s reputation. ---
**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:** [November 22, 2023, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1567 "2023-11-22T23:50:08Z")
So … that whole stochastic terrorism thing seems to be coming along rather nicely: > **[Judge on Trump NY Fraud Case Receives 'Serious and Credible' Death Threats...](https://news.yahoo.com/judge-trump-ny-fraud-case-212521090.html)** > > Judge Arthur Engoron and his staff received a barrage of death threats and antisemitic attacks after Donald Trump targeted them on social media. > [@](#): > > Judge Arthur Engoron and his law clerk Allison Greenfield have been inundated with death threats and antisemitic attacks after Donald Trump targeted the judge and his assistant on social media. > > According to an affidavit filed by attorneys for the New York state court system, Engoron and Greenfield have been subjected to a “deluge [in] the court’s chambers phone and the law clerk’s personal cell phone, personal emails and social media accounts [of] hundreds of threatening, harassing, disparaging and antisemitic messages.” We’re handily past ‘sickening’ at this point. I wonder where we go next. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1568 "2023-11-23T00:02:44Z")
It looks like Enron was playing a shell game where their “clients” were companies that they owned, so they were able, for awhile, to hide their losses in the SEP column. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1569 "2023-11-23T00:09:21Z")
Besides, they probably didn’t have an iron-clad “due diligence” clause right up at the beginning. You know, the one that Trump keeps referring to where he told them outright he was bullshitting them? I’m told that’s key. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1570 "2023-11-23T02:14:44Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > It looks like Enron was playing a shell game where their “clients” were companies that they owned, so they were able, for awhile, to hide their losses in the SEP column. They were doing that _also_. > **[Enron | Accounting practices](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enron?useskin=vector#Accounting_practices)** > > Enron used a variety of deceptive and fraudulent tactics and accounting practices to cover its fraud in reporting Enron's financial information. Special-purpose entities were created to mask significant liabilities from Enron's financial statements. These entities made Enron seem more profitable than it was, and created a dangerous spiral in which, each quarter, corporate officers would have to perform more and more financial deception to create the illusion of billions of dollars in profit while... > Enron adopted [mark-to-market accounting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark-to-market_accounting), in which anticipated future profits from any deal were tabulated as if currently real. Thus, Enron could record gains from what over time might turn out to be losses And here’s an interesting [example](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark-to-market_accounting?useskin=vector#Mark-to-market_accounting_use_by_Enron). > For one contract, in July 2000, Enron and [Blockbuster Video](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockbuster_Inc.) signed a 20-year agreement to introduce on-demand entertainment to various U.S. cities by year’s end. After several pilot projects, Enron claimed estimated profits of more than $110 million from the deal, even though analysts questioned the technical viability and market demand of the service.[[22]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark-to-market_accounting?useskin=vector#cite_note-Healy-22): 10 When the network failed to work, Blockbuster withdrew from the contract. Enron continued to claim future profits, even though the deal resulted in a loss.[[23]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark-to-market_accounting?useskin=vector#cite_note-BlockbusterUSA-23) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1571 "2023-11-23T02:39:22Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > So … that whole stochastic terrorism thing seems to be coming along rather nicely: Y’know, it occurs to me… It’s not a secret what court cases Trump is involved in, with or without him Xcreting about it. And anyone with three working brain cells could figure out that Trump doesn’t like the judge. Are these peoples’ brains really so suborned that they can’t figure out to do this without Trump personally and directly telling them to? Or are they so insulated from all news sources that they manage to be completely oblivious to all of the court cases until they’re brought to their attention? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1572 "2023-11-23T02:48:00Z")
When Coca Cola advertises, it’s not because they think there are very many people who don’t know what Coke is. They’re doing it to keep their name at the forefront of their consumers’ minds. Trump is no different. He’s not telling anybody anything they haven’t heard before. He’s just stoking fires and reminding his followers why they’re angry and why they should be angrier. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1573 "2023-11-23T02:49:26Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > Trump is no different. He’s not telling anybody anything they haven’t heard before. He’s just stoking fires and reminding his followers why they’re angry and why they should be angrier. And who specifically to direct their anger towards. Give them a week, and they forget. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1574 "2023-11-23T11:15:16Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Give them a week, and they forget. Rather ironic, given the party’s animal mascot. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1575 "2023-11-23T14:35:34Z")
Trump posts insults toward the court clerk again. > ---
**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:** [November 23, 2023, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1576 "2023-11-23T14:47:20Z")
He seems nice. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1577 "2023-11-23T14:49:00Z")
Oh my. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1578 "2023-11-23T14:52:35Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > He seems nice. He seems absolutely unhinged here. Which leads me to think he’s trying to establish an important principle: he is subservient to no one’s wishes, he obeys no one, his word is supreme law. Authoritarianism, in a word Some people want that, I suppose, and in supporting him they’re stating what they want–a monarch. And a cruel despot, at that. I used to think that such people were 1%, MAYBE 5%, of the population, on my darkest days. Now I’m sure it’s close to 40% of the voters, and growing every day. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1579 "2023-11-23T15:06:50Z")
> [@](#): > > “I feel proud of what I did. I think everything was justified. Numbers don’t represent fully what these assets are worth,” McConney said. “I got to do a lot of things normally an accountant wouldn’t be able to do. I think this is the more accurate version: “I got to do a lot of things normally an accountant ~~wouldn’t be able to do~~ couldn’t get away with.” ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1580 "2023-11-23T15:08:17Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > He seems absolutely unhinged here. I was going to say that he seems to be losing it (or has lost it) but you beat me to it 🙂 > [@slicedalone](#): > > it’s close to 40% of the voters, and growing every day. The fact, even from the outset, that there are actually people who see nothing wrong with Trump’s manners of expressing himself, is terrifying. And the fact that, as you suggest, it’s close to 40%…:😮 I remember back in the '80s there was a sort-of comedy movie about Nixon fictitiously ranting about stuff, that this tweet reminds me of. At that time it was probably seen as unbelievable; but here we are. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991/1581 "2023-11-23T15:19:48Z")
> [@velomont](#): > > The fact, even from the outset, that there are actually people who see nothing wrong with Trump’s manners of expressing himself, is terrifying. And the fact that, as you suggest, it’s close to 40%… Is that an example of American exceptionalism? Or simple universal human nature? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=78) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-letitia-james-drops-the-civil-hammer-on-trump-family-9-21-2022/971991.md?page=80)