More delay in civil fraud cases
New York’s attorney general has urged a state judge to dismiss Donald Trump’s bid to delay his civil fraud case against him, and said the former US president could use his run for the White House in 2024 as a excuse for further delay.
In a court filing late Wednesday, Attorney General Letitia James said her office provided Trump and other defendants with a “huge amount” of documents, including 1.7 million documents and interview transcripts for 56 witnesses.
She said it nullifies their plea for another six months to gather evidence to adequately defend themselves at trial, now scheduled for October 2, and accused them of being slow to conduct their own witness depositions.
“The record that the defendants have and are compiling is more than sufficient to allow them due process and prevent the trial from becoming a surprise game,” James said.
“When the calendar shifts to 2024, Donald J. Trump will be in the middle of the presidential campaign,” she added. “Defendants used his campaign as grounds for delay in 2016 and 2020. There is no reason to believe 2024 will be any different.”
Lawyers for the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.
Arthur Engoron, the judge overseeing the case, has scheduled a hearing for March 21 to review the trial schedule.
James sued Trump, three of his adult children, the Trump Organization and others last September, following a three-year investigation.
The $250 million lawsuit concerns an alleged decade-long scheme to manipulate more than 200 asset valuations and Trump’s net worth, in order to obtain better terms from banks and insurers.
Trump, a Republican, called James’ case a partisan witch hunt. James is a Democrat.
The case is separate from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s criminal investigation into a silent payment to keep porn star Stormy Daniels quiet ahead of the 2016 presidential election over her alleged affair with Trump.