N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James Won’t Drop $400 Million Trump Civil Fraud Judgement

The New York attorney general’s office said it would not drop its $400 million civil fraud case against President-elect Donald Trump.

Deputy Solicitor General Judith Vale wrote a letter to a Trump attorney, Dean John Sauer, arguing that calling for New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) to toss the case had no legal basis. “The ordinary burdens of civil litigation do not impede the President’s official duties in a way that violated the U.S. Constitution,” Vale wrote.

The state’s appeal court is now considering the case, so Trump’s official duties would not be hampered awaiting that outcome.

Sauer, who is also Trump’s nominee for the U.S. solicitor general, wrote a letter to James last month to note that Special Counsel Jack Smith dismissed both criminal cases against Trump following his election win – and suggested that she should do the same.

Vale argued that since James’ case is civil and not criminal, Trump’s other legal cases are irrelevant.

In 2022, James sued Trump and took him to trial in 2023. A New York judge found Trump and his business conspired to inflate his net worth in violation of state law. The defendants were ordered to pay over $435 million plus interest.

As they appeal the case, the millions of dollars in interest have continued to grow for Trump’s organization and top executives, along with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.

James and her office are prepared for a second Trump administration, saying she will “continue to stand tall in the face of injustice, revenge, retribution.”

Trump has repeatedly attacked James on social media, including in his Easter message.

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