Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Donald Trump ends another legal challenge to N.Y. attorney general probe

Published 01/24/2023, 01:59 PM
Updated 01/24/2023, 02:06 PM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who announced a third run for the presidency in 2024, hosts a New Year's Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. December 31, 2022.  REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who announced a third run for the presidency in 2024, hosts a New Year's Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. December 31, 2022. REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Donald Trump has ended his appeal of a court ruling that let New York state's attorney general investigate his real estate business and eventually file a $250 million civil fraud lawsuit against the former U.S. president.

A stipulation of voluntary dismissal signed by Trump's lawyer Alina Habba and a lawyer for state Attorney General Letitia James was filed on Tuesday with the federal appeals court in Manhattan. No reason was given.

Trump had been appealing a ruling last May by U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes in Syracuse, New York, that found "no evidence" James had acted in bad faith or out of political bias by probing asset valuations at the Trump Organization.

The dismissal followed Trump's withdrawal on Friday of a lawsuit in federal court in Florida seeking to block James' office from obtaining materials from his private trust.

A day earlier, the judge in the Florida case imposed $937,989 of sanctions against Trump and Habba for filing a "completely frivolous" lawsuit accusing Hillary Clinton and other Democrats of trying to rig the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Trump, a Republican, beat Clinton in that election.

Habba did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

James, also a Democrat, said she was pleased Trump withdrew both cases. "We have a legitimate legal case against him and his organization, and we cannot be bullied or dissuaded from pursuing it," she said in a statement.

The attorney general's lawsuit last September accused Trump of lying to banks and insurers for a decade about asset values and his net worth, in part to save money on loans and insurance.

On Jan. 6, New York state judge Arthur Engoron rejected Trump's bid to dismiss the case.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who announced a third run for the presidency in 2024, hosts a New Year's Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. December 31, 2022.  REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo

He declined to impose sanctions against Trump for arguments including that James was pursuing a political "witch hunt," but said "sophisticated defense counsel should have known better."

Trump's adult children Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka are also defendants in James' lawsuit. They and their father have until Thursday to formally answer the complaint.

Latest comments

Ahh, good to see The Donald's legal dream team in action once more, so effective, so inspiring.......
Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.