Judges Set to Hear Trump Civil Appeal  09/26 06:13

   

   NEW YORK (AP) -- As Donald Trump hits the homestretch of his White House 
run, the former president's lawyers are heading to a New York appeals court in 
a bid to overturn a civil fraud judgment that could cost him nearly $500 
million.

   The Republican presidential nominee has given no indication that he plans to 
attend Thursday's arguments before a five-judge panel in the state's mid-level 
appellate court in Manhattan. The hearing is scheduled to start at noon and is 
expected to be streamed online.

   Trump is asking the court to reverse Judge Arthur Engoron's ruling in 
February that he lied about his wealth on paperwork given to banks, insurers 
and others to make deals and secure loans. The verdict cut to the core of 
Trump's wealthy, businessman persona.

   Trump has decried the outcome in New York Attorney General Letitia James' 
lawsuit against him as "election interference" and accused Engoron of punishing 
him for "having built a perfect company." His lawyers contend the verdict was 
"grossly unjust" and should be reversed.

   They contend some allegations should have been barred by the statute of 
limitations and that the state shouldn't be policing private business 
transactions. They have also complained about Engoron's handling of the case, 
accusing the judge of "tangible and overwhelming" bias and exceeding his 
authority.

   State lawyers argue there is ample evidence to support the verdict and that 
Trump's appeal is based on meritless legal arguments, many of which Engoron and 
the Appellate Division have rejected before.

   D. John Sauer, who successfully argued Trump's presidential immunity case 
before the U.S. Supreme Court, will argue on his behalf. Judith Vale, New 
York's deputy solicitor general, will argue on behalf of James' office.

   Ruling after a 2-month trial, Engoron found that Trump had padded his net 
worth by several billion dollars on annual financial statements by overvaluing 
assets including his golf courses and hotels, Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and 
Trump Tower penthouse in Manhattan.

   Trump and his co-defendants are also challenging Engoron's decision to rule, 
even before testimony had begun, that the state had proven that Trump had 
fraudulently inflated his financial statements. The judge ordered Trump and the 
other defendants to pay $363.9 million in penalties -- a sum that has now grown 
with interest to more than $489 million.

   Trump posted a $175 million bond in April to halt collection of the judgment 
and prevent the state from seizing his assets while he appeals. The bond 
guarantees payment if the judgment is upheld. If Trump wins he'll get the money 
back.

   The Appellate Division typically rules about a month after arguments, 
meaning a decision could come before Election Day. The court could either 
uphold the verdict, reduce or modify the penalty or overturn Engoron's verdict 
entirely.

   If either side doesn't like the outcome, it can ask the state's highest 
court, the Court of Appeals, to consider taking the case. Trump has vowed to 
fight the verdict "all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary."