Former President Donald Trump claimed the judge in his civil fraud trial and the New York state attorney general are colluding to hinder his chances of returning to the White House in November.
Trump, in an early morning post Monday on Truth Social, lambasted Judge Arthur Engoron and "his Puppet Master," Attorney General Letitia James, for a $454 million judgment in the trial.
Engoron on Thursday ordered Trump to inform the court of any attempt to secure a bond covering the fine ahead of Monday's deadline.
"Why should a Crooked, highly political New York Judge, Arthur Engoron, working in concert and coordination with an even more Corrupt Attorney General, Letitia 'Peekaboo' James, his Puppet Master, and the White House, be allowed to take away, and sell off, very successful properties and assets that took me years to zone, build and nurture into some of the best of their kind anywhere in the World – WHEN I HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG!" Trump posted soon after midnight on Truth Social.
"These Radical Left Lunatics and Communists ask me to pay a ridiculous and completely unheard of fine of over $450,000,000 only because they saw a similar amount in my bank account. I had intended to use much of that hard earned money on running for President. They don't want me to do that — ELECTION INTERFERENCE!"
Trump later continued his verbal assault on Engoron and also on the Manhattan district attorney's "hush money" case against him.
"These are Rigged cases, all coordinated by the White House and DOJ for purposes of Election Interference," he posted Monday morning on Truth Social. "THE NUMBER ENGORON SET IS FRAUDULENT. It should be ZERO, I DID NOTHING WRONG! The D.A. Case, that I am going to today, should be dismissed. No crime. Our Country is CORRUPT!"
Trump then said President Joe Biden's White House is behind his criminal trials, which include Georgia's Fulton County A.G. Fani Willis charging the former president with election interference.
"Crooked Pols!!! There should be no FINE. Did nothing wrong! Why should I be forced to sell my ‘babies’ because a CORRUPT NEW YORK JUDGE & A.G. SET A FAKE AND RIDICULOUS NUMBER. 'TAKE HIS CASH SO THAT HE CAN’T USE IT TO DEFEAT HIS POLITICAL OPPONENT, CROOKED JOE BIDEN,'" Trump posted.
"ELECTION INTERFERENCE, ALL HEADED UP BY THE WHITE HOUSE - THIS INCLUDES FANI AND THE CORRUPT MANHATTAN D.A. BRAGG ADMITTED THERE WAS NO CRIME, WAS MORTIFIED BY WHAT [former prosecutor] MARK POMERANCE [Pomerantz] DID - AND HE SHOULD BE. WITCH HUNT!"
Before Engoron's Thursday ruling, Trump's lawyers kept pressing an appellate court to excuse the former president from covering a $454 million fraud lawsuit judgment for now, saying he'd suffer "irreparable harm" before his appeal is decided.
Attorneys for Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, earlier last week said that their client couldn't find anyone willing to issue a bond for the huge amount.
James can start taking steps to seize Trump properties and assets to collect the massive sum — unless the appeals court intervenes.
The attorney general recently filed judgments against Trump and others in Westchester County, New York, where Trump owns the Seven Springs private estate and the Trump National Golf Club Westchester.
The amount of the massive fine continues to grow due to accrued interest.
Reuters contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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