Donald Trump fiercely criticized a New York judge’s ruling that he must pay $354.9 million for fraudulently overstating his net worth. Speaking at a campaign rally in Michigan, Trump accused the judge of being part of a “left-wing” conspiracy to thwart his potential return to the presidency.
The former president also reiterated unfounded claims of election fraud in the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
Justice Arthur Engoron’s ruling, which also banned Trump from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation for three years, stemmed from accusations by New York Attorney General Letitia James. She alleged that Trump inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to obtain better loan terms from lenders.
Engoron criticized Trump and his co-defendants for their lack of contrition, describing it as “bordering on pathological.”
Trump’s legal woes extend beyond this civil case, as he faces four state and federal criminal trials, including one scheduled to start in New York in March. Despite these challenges, Trump remains the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination.
However, his primary rival, Nikki Haley, seized on the ruling to question his candidacy’s viability, citing concerns about his ongoing legal battles.
Haley, speaking at an event in South Carolina, highlighted Trump’s numerous court appearances and accused him of neglecting pressing issues like the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. She criticized Trump’s past remarks praising Russian President Vladimir Putin and accused him of aligning with a “thug” who targets political opponents.
As Trump seeks to solidify his support in key battleground states like Michigan, he faces scrutiny over his messaging on voting methods. Trump denounced mail-in voting, a practice embraced by Democrats, and called for the elimination of early voting.
However, some Republicans have cautioned that his stance could deter party members from participating in elections.
Despite the legal and political challenges, Trump remains determined to maintain his influence within the Republican Party and position himself for a potential rematch against Biden in the general election. Meanwhile, Haley continues to campaign in hopes of challenging Trump’s dominance in the primaries.
