Former US President Donald Trump slammed the $355 million fine he was ordered to pay in his fraud case and warned that businesses will flee New York state as a result of the decision.
On the campaign trail Saturday night in Waterford Township, Michigan, Trump railed against “lunatic” Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron’s ruling a day earlier after he was found guilty of inflating his net worth by billions to secure favorable bank loans.
“The case is a complete and total sham.It’s a sham case,” Trump told the crowd at the rally.
“There were no victims, no damages, no defaults, no complaints, no nothing. There was nothing,” he said.
The front-running Republican presidential candidate repeated his claims that the lawsuit brought against Trump, his company and his sons by New York Attorney General Letitia James was an attempt by Democrats to stop him from being president
“This is merely an election interference ploy by a crazed attorney general … working closely with a very bad judge,” Trump said.
“Judge Engoran just fined me $355 million for doing everything right,”
On Friday, Engoron found Trump liable for inflating his net worth by billions of dollars a year to get better loan and insurance terms in a case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who campaigned on a promise to bring down his business empire.
The judge’s decision also banned the former president from doing business in the state where he built his brand.
Trump said he intends to appeal the decision — which also bars him from running the Trump Organization or serving as a director or officer of any other company in New York for three years.
“If justice is anything in New York State then we’ll win,” he declared.
He predicted an exodus of businesses from New York, scared off by the legal system.
“As a result of this decision, businesses are going to leave New York state, taking thousands of jobs with them because they can’t subject themselves to this,” Trump said.
“And if this persecution of political opponents continues nobody will want to do business in the United States of America any longer,” he added.
He called on Congress to impeach Joe Biden to stop what calls the “weaponization” of the Department of Justice.
