Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump is finding that his legal troubles, once a formidable mountain, are beginning to look more like a small hill—albeit still a very steep one. While his team has scored some impressive victories against criminal charges recently, a storm of civil lawsuits proves that the legal circus is far from over. With a whopping $563 million hanging over his head, Trump may be in for a wallet-emptying ride, all before the year wraps up, whether he steps back into the White House or not.
The staggering figure stems from three particularly hefty civil cases, with two of them courtesy of author E. Jean Carroll. The pièce de résistance of these judgments is found in a civil fraud case led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, which seems to have set a new bar for how to cash in on Trump’s notoriety. As his legal team tightens their shoelaces to run the marathon of litigation, they will undoubtedly be applying some pressure to reduce that figure—because let’s face it, Trump’s estimated net worth of $4.2 billion isn’t as relevant when you’re trying to dodge a half billion in legal liabilities.
Judge orders Trump and his companies to pay nearly $355 million in New York civil fraud case https://t.co/Pk0a6KLkb0 pic.twitter.com/00aPEjStZ7
— CNN (@CNN) February 16, 2024
Legal analysts, like Kevin McMunigal from Case Western Reserve University, seem to think that if push comes to shove, the sight of lawyers scrambling for Trump’s assets might be one for the books. The image of legal enforcers chasing a former president would not only be bizarre but also a tad concerning for anyone who remembers the foundation of the country. After all, it’s a little different when a president’s properties could become the collection plate for lawyers hoping to settle a score.
Trump, ever the tactician, likely has his eye on the upcoming court dates. His attorneys are set to return to New York soon to appeal the $5 million judgment related to Carroll’s claims, which has sparked fresh energy in the media circuit. This next round of courtroom drama should be explosive, as expectations are high that he and his lawyers will attempt to persuade the appellate court to sweep the judgments under the rug—or at the very least, lighten the load.
However, the timeline indicates that Trump won’t need to scramble for cash in the short term; experts believe the appeals will drag on well past Election Day. Legal maneuvers could delay any monetary fallout, potentially transforming these court battles into a strategic game of cat and mouse, where time is on Trump’s side. While the legal system wades through these complexities, it remains to be seen just how effective his legal eagles will be at securing not just his reputation but also his considerable financial assets. After all, when your name is on the ballot, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
