Former President Donald Trump's fight against New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) rocketed back into the headlines this week after an anti-Trump judge made a shocking and rare ruling.
According to Fox News, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled against Trump and his business, agreeing with James that Trump and his associates inflated the value of his assets in order to obtain better loan terms and other financial benefits.
The most shocking part of the ruling is that it came in the form of a summary judgment before the non-jury trial was set to take place, leaving Trump's defense without so much as a single word to make a case.
Fox News noted:
Engoron ordered that some of Trump’s business licenses be rescinded as punishment, making it difficult or impossible for them to do business in New York. The judge said he would continue to have an independent monitor oversee the Trump Organization’s operations.
"In defendants’ world: rent regulated apartments are worth the same as unregulated apartments; restricted land is worth the same as unrestricted land; restrictions can evaporate into thin air; a disclaimer by one party casting responsibility on another party exonerates the other party’s lies," Engoron wrote in his 35-page ruling, according to the Associated Press.
He added, "That is a fantasy world, not the real world."
Christopher Kise, Trump's attorney on the case, said that they would appeal, noting he believes the judge's ruling is "completely disconnected from the facts and governing law."
The former president himself reacted harshly to the ruling, saying that he believes his civil rights were violated as a result of the ruling.
"My Civil rights have been violated, and some Appellate Court, whether federal or state, must reverse this horrible, un-American decision," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He added, "Today's Ruling about a Company that has done a magnificent job for New York State fails to acknowledge the fact that Murder and all other forms of Violent Crime have reached record levels in New York State."
"Can you imagine ruling against me for having done business perfectly, and yet letting people go on a rampage on the sidewalks of New York?"
Other matters in the civil lawsuit, such as James' request that the Trump organization be fined $250 million, will be decided in the upcoming October trial, which reportedly could last throughout the rest of 2023.
Trump has long maintained that James only used her position of power to attack him legally in order to boost her own political standing.
Fox News noted:
Trump sued James in November and said she abused her position as attorney general to "recklessly injure" him, his family and his businesses. Trump alleged that James was pursuing "a relentless, pernicious, public, and unapologetic crusade" against him "with the stated goal of destroying him personally, financially, and politically."
