The battle between President Donald Trump and the State of New York Attorney General is expected to become heated this week as defense attorneys for the former President are set to counter allegations of fraud.
At the center of the dispute is an ongoing lawsuit brought against Trump by New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleging that the Trump Organization and the Trump family committed “persistent illegal conduct” in the realm of business operations.
The lawsuit—which seeks compensation for the “millions of dollars” in damages it claims was caused by Trump’s illegal acts—was filed in October of 2019, and this week will mark the first step in the legal proceedings.
Defense attorneys plan to plead acquittal on the basis that James’s accusations are politically motivated and lack evidence.
The attempted fraud charges, which span from the time of Trump’s election in 2016 to his eventual resignation in 2021, pertain to financial practices of the Trump Organization, including claiming tax-deductible expenses, making inflated loan applications and attempting to sell the rights to a hotel in the former President’s name.
The State of New York is said to be continuing its investigation, including ways to obtain access to the Trump Organization’s financial records, providing yet another conflicting situation between the President and the current New York administration.
The defense team is expecting a lengthy legal trial and conflict, with a veritable tide of evidence to be gathered, sorted and examined. Despite the hopes of a quick resolution, it appears that the case could still be winding its way through court for some time to come.
